The Princess of Winter
by Flying Thunderbird
Summary: When the Northern Lords express their displeasure at Brandon Stark's betrothal to a southerner, Rickard Stark decides that the answer lies in his eldest daughter, Heddara. How will the Game of thrones change when the second Stark child is fostered in the North? Fem!Ned Fem!Eddard. Complete
1. Chapter 1 - Prologue

Summary: When the Northern Lords express their displeasure at Brandon Stark's betrothal to a southerner, Rickard Stark decides that the answer lies in his eldest daughter, Heddara. How will the Game of thrones change when the second Stark child is fostered in the North? Fem!Ned Fem!Eddard

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, then I don't own it. If you don't recognize it, I probably don't own it either. So, let's just admit that I own nothing! :)

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 1 (Age 12)

I

Rickard Stark put the letter from Lord Karstark down, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I expected the Northern Lords to be upset at Brandon's betrothal to the Tully girl, but not to this extent" He said to his maester, sighing.

"It will pass, in a few months they will have forgotten about it" Maester Cerran stated, confident in his analysis.

Rickard huffed, crossing his arms over the table and looking into the hearth of his solar.

"You certainly don't understand some nuances to politics in the North. 'The North remembers' is not one of our sayings for nothing." The Lord of the North rubbed his chin, bringing his attention to a map of his Lands hanging in a wall. "We need to give them something to assuage their worries, and prove that I have my bannerman in my mind when forging alliances."

Cerran hummed in agreement, considering the possible options. He had been advising his Lord to pursue matches in the south, in order to try to open up the North for more southern ideals, but it was true that it was also necessary to keep the local Lords happy.

"We can arrange marriages for Lyanna and Benjen with local heirs. There are some in their age bracket." He proposed.

Rickard shook his head. "You are underestimating the Northern Lords once more. Benjen has made it loud and clear that he intends to join the night's watch. He might change his mind yet, which is fine, but preventing him to join would make me lose honor in the face of the other Lords. And offering my youngest daughter? That would be like a slap in the face, when I have an older one to give away still." He picked up the letter from Lord Manderly and waved it at the maester. "There are already rumors that I intend to marry Heddara to either the Lannister or the Baratheon boy. If I offer a marriage alliance to the North it has to start with my oldest daughter."

The maester nodded, seeing the wisdom in the idea. He also turned his head towards the map, considering the various Lords and heirs to the various holdfasts, when an idea struck him.

"The Mormonts where one of the only houses to not send a letter of complaint, weren't they my Lord?" He asked. Seeing Lord Rickard nod in confirmation, he explained. "Why not send Heddara to foster at Bear Island, and state that she will marry in the North. This will give you time to choose your future goodson wisely. It will also serve to admonish the Lords that wrote these complains since none of them will be chosen as foster parents, while at the same time appease them, since your oldest daughter will certainly be marrying and growing up in the true North."

Rickard considered the proposal carefully. The Mormonts were part of his most loyal bannerman, and would definitely take care of his daughter. And Heddara would certainly fit in with the Mormont woman. At two and ten name days, she was already excelling with the bow, and had begged him to teach her how to wield a dagger. Knowing full well the dangers of the world, he had tasked his captain of the guard to teach her like he would teach any boy.

There was also something else about Heddara. He suspected that the old gifts were strong in his daughter. More than once had old Nan come to him with tales of how his daughter was making birds do her biding, bringing her little tokens and following her commands. If she wasn't a warg he would eat his hat.

He scrutinized his maester, while the man was inspecting the map of the North, no doubt considering possible matches. Cerran was relatively new in the North, having come from the citadel only three years ago, after old Maester Harrin had passed. He was knowledge in Economics and Politics, and Rickard appreciated his advice, but he most definitely didn't trust him. The ways he sometimes spoke of the Northern myths and stories was telling.

"Very well, I shall write a letter to Lord Jeor Mormont with this proposal" Rickard waved away the maester's proposal of writing the letter for him and sent him away.

Yes, his daughter would flourish in Bear Island, and would be safe from any possible rats from the citadel. He knew the maester of Bear Island personally, he was a known northerner himself, and would be able to help his daughter harness her gift, without babbling to those who had no business in the issue.

He let out a chuckle, imagining maester Cerran's face if he realized what Heddara would be learning in the Island. It would certainly go against the southerner's view of a proper Lady.

* * *

"Do you have to go?" Her brother Benjen asked, hugging her waist on her left sniffling. On her right Lyanna wasn't doing much better to contain her tears.

"Yes, I do. But you can write me as much as you want. I'm sure father will be happy to send a raven every other week" She told him, brushing his hair away from his eyes gently.

After reassurances to her younger siblings that she wouldn't forget them, and would always reply to her letters, she hugged Brandon fiercely.

"If any of those Bear Island boys try to get fresh with you, you tell me and I'll show them how wolves hunt, you hear me?" He asked scowling, no doubt imagining maiming some boy.

She rolled her eyes "If I have problems with a boy, I'll break his nose myself!" He laughed at that, giving her another hug, before moving aside so her father could say goodbye.

"I'm sending fifty men with you to Deepwood Motte. Twenty of them will go with you to Bear Island, as per the agreement between me and Jeor Mormont." Heddara nodded, hugging her father close, not knowing when she would see him again.

As they let go, her father put his hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye and speaking softly so only she could hear.

"Dara, I want you to take this opportunity to grow. Grow as a person, a woman, a warrior and a warg" She started, surprised at his announcement. "Yes, I know of your gift. You haven't been as discreet as you thought. Old Nan caught you a few times, but she made sure no one else was around." Grabbing her shoulders harder he stressed. "Never be ashamed of the gifts from the Gods. Train them until you make them your own, and then you will be free to share them in the North. Until then you were right to keep them from southern eyes. At this moment it is not safe to possess any sort of magic in the south."

She nodded. There had enough stories about the King, and what he did in his mad quest for power, that she knew she should be careful.

"Go now, be safe and be happy" Her father said, smiling.

Saying one more goodbye to her family, she mounted her horse and left Winterfell for the foreseeable future.

* * *

"Lady Heddara, we will be anchoring soon" The captain of the ship provided by House Mormont told her. She nodded and gave her thanks, before going back to surveilling her new home.

Her studies with maester Harrin and then Cerran had thought her that Bear Island was rich in trees, hills and streams. The descriptions she had been given had not made the island justice. It's beauty was unmistakable.

As she got out of the rowboat that had brought them from the ship to shore, and made her way through the surf towards a waiting group of people, she couldn't help to admire the extremely tall gnarled trees.

"Welcome to Bear Island, Heddara Stark. I am Jeor Mormont." A slightly graying man said, nodding and extending his and in greeting. She extended her own hand and he grasped her forearm like he would do to another man. She smiled and copied the gesture. "This is my son, Jorah, and my younger sister Maege" He introduced, gesturing to the two youngsters standing beside him.

Smiling, she greeted the two nobles, and dutifully followed the Mormonts through the beach and into the woods, where horses waited to take them to Mormont Keep. As they rode, Maege and Jorah waited no time to talk about training, fishing and fighting against wildlings, asking her about what moves she could do with the sword and how far she could shoot an arrow.

It seemed like she just might fit right in with the bears.


	2. Chapter 2

First of all, a big shout out to all of those who reviewed! Sorry I couldn't answer all of you, but I'm grateful for the support! Thanks also to those who followed and favorite.

Just a few short announcements:

\- Last chapter was more of a Prologue. I finally found out how to change the chapter tag name.

\- This will be a very fast paced story, mostly because I don't believe that I have the patience to write one of those looong stories. I would probably give up on it halfway.

So, expect lots of time skips and few detailed descriptions. Lots of short scenes too.

First time skip is right now, and I promise this is the only really big one! I wanted to get right into the action!

And one last thing. In order to be able write about fights in the Game of Thrones world, I had to learn more about proper fighting during medieval times, and for that, I had to do some research. I found an awesome YouTube channel called "Shadiversity" that has amazing videos about medieval weapons and castles. He even has a few videos about the castles in Game of Thrones. Go check him out if you're interested! :)

This chapter was supposed to come out tomorrow, but since today is the Three Kings' Day, and many countries share gifts, I though you guys should receive one as well! ;) Happy Three Kings' Day! (Or however you call the 6th of January)

* * *

Chapter 2 (Age 18)

II

The sound of metal clashing mixed with the cries of the injured, as Heddara slashed her sword against the flank of the wildling man in front of her, making him cry out and clutch the wound. With a quick snap of her wrist her sword flew and separated head from neck. A blink of an eye latter she was already parrying another attack, only to force her enemies blade down, ducking to allow her bonded direwolf Storm to jump and bite off his head.

As the battle came to a close, Heddara joined the rest of her comrades in finishing off the enemy, or granting mercy to those with fatal injuries.

"This group was too big." She told Maege. "More of them might have decided to go straight for the mainland" Maege nodded, turning to her and cleaning her sword with a rag.

"Questioning one of them is probably useless, but we should try anyway" She said, calling out for someone to take a couple of the surviving wildlings aside for interrogation. "What are you thinking Heda?"

Heddara looked out towards the ocean. The nickname Maege had bestowed her after her first battle against the wildlings, where she had demonstrated good leadership, meant 'Great Commander' in the old tongue, and had quickly been adopted as a form of respectful address by the rest of the inhabitants of Bear Island, much to her chagrin.

Brushing her hand against the top of Storms head, which already stood by her elbow even though the beast wasn't fully grown yet, she announced gravely. "We should send ravens to Winterfell, as well as to all of the northernmost holdfasts. If a group this big as come to shore in the North, they could ravage whole villages."

Mage nodded. "We will do that immediately. We shouldn't wait for Jeor and Jorah to come back from the sea."

"In the meantime, I will send Haros to fly over the shores. Maybe I can spot their landing site." Heddara said, raising her arm. Her raven friend came down from an old oak to land on her forearm.

"Send him out through the window in Jeor's solar. I will send Janelle and two others to guard you while you warg."

Heddara nodded, and made her way to the Keep, raven and direwolf following her.

* * *

"The Lord of Winterfell has requested 150 Bolton men to help stop this wildling band. The two of you will lead our host, and bring pride to the Bolton name by killing of these savages" Lord Bolton told his sons, hard eyes surveying their faces for any trace of fear or cowardice.

The two young men nodded their compliance.

"Why us though, Father" His heir, Rohar, asked. "The Umbers and Glovers are much closer to where these people are said to be. So is Winterfell for that matter."

He huffed, but nodded at the young man, as it was a pertinent question.

"The last reports state that the wildlings are moving towards Long Lake. You will meet with a contingent from Last Hearth and Deepwood Mote. The Mormonts are also sending 100 warriors and apparently Heddara Stark, who will be taking over command of the Stark host."

Both Rohar and Roose looked startled by this announcement.

"That is right. Six years in Bear Island have apparently made a warrior woman out of the girl. Considering that Brandon Stark is in White Harbor, giving the position to the girl is expected."

His sons nodded, showing their understanding.

"You should take this chance to see if you can gain the approval of the Stark girl. Specially you Rohar." He said, making sure the boys were paying attention. "Rickard Stark has promised his oldest daughter to the North, and said he would choose her husband before her nine and ten name day. Until now no talks have been started, and rumor has it that he will let her choose from the available young Lords. It's in your hands weather or not you become the first Bolton to get himself a shewolf as a wife."

Rohar nodded, and the Lord of the Dreadfort waved his sons away, dismissing them to get ready for their travel.

* * *

As if it was ordained by the gods, the five groups met at the same time in the Wolfswood, west of Long Lake, and the designated leaders found themselves on horseback at the front of the host, while the soldiers started to put up the tents. Heddara Stark sat on top of her horse, a giant wolf on her left and a raven sitting on her shoulder.

Rohar had not been expecting the picture she presented. In truth, he did not know what he had been expecting. Probably a tall, burly woman, wielding a longsword, like many Mormont woman did. She did not look as such. In front of him was an empress. A warrior and a seductress. Dark haired and grey eyed, like a true Stark, her armor did nothing to hide her figure, instead accentuating her curves. And her face, gods, what should he say about her face? Bards could sing songs about her, and still he didn't think they would be able to appropriately describe her.

"What's with the wolf and bird, girlie?" Greatjon Umber, the new Lord of last hearth asked in way of greeting, bringing him back to the present.

The great beast growled at the man, showing his gigantic teeth and making Greatjon's horse cry out and step back in fear. The Mormont woman laughed, while the young Lord cursed and struggled with his mount until it was back under control, before glaring at the woman in front of him.

"Storm is not a wolf, he is a direwolf." Heddara stated calmly, reaching out to pat the grey furry head beside her.

"And the bird?" The man insisted, with narrowed eyes.

"The bird is my scout." She said, like it answered all the questions asked. Rohar frowned, wandering what she could possibly mean by that. "The wildling sent scouts in different directions a few days ago, but are now coming in mass towards the lake. No scouts have been sent since yesterday. They probably intend to pillage the several settlements around the lake's shores, and are confident that there is no opposition."

"And how do you know this?" Lord Glover asked, sounding condescending. "The bird whispered it, did it?"

Rohar kept his silent. Strangely, Umber, who had been the first to question the Stark heiress was now looking contemplative and maybe even impressed.

"Uh, never thought I would get to see a Stark warg myself" Greatjon said, smiling broadly. "Well, go on Lady Stark. Only true northern comrades here. None of that Seven bullshit. Find us some wildlings to cut down, will you?"

Rohar made himself keep still in his horse, but noticed that Lord Glover was not so lucky. The man looked wide eyed between the other four man and woman present at the meeting.

"Fly high Heda, and know that I will have your back" The Mormont woman stated, nodding to Heddara Stark, who nodded.

In a brush of black wings, the Raven took off just as the young woman's eyes turned white. Once again, he had to hold himself back from showing any outward reaction, while Lord Glover cursed under his breath and Umber let out a triumphant chuckle.

Deciding it was more than the right time to take control of the situation, Rohar looked around before stating clearly

"Since Umber was too enthusiastic to let us introduce ourselves, I fell the obligation to do so. My name is Rohar Bolton, Heir to the Dreadfort." He said, nodding to the Morning.

"Maege Mormont" She announced simply.

He nodded in acknowledgement as Umber and Glover introduced themselves as well.

Narrowing his eyes at the newly introduced woman, he asked "A warg. I haven't heard of one being born south of the wall in centuries. Did she learn to do it on Bear Island?"

Maege snorted "A warg is not thought, you're born like that" She said shrugging. "But I admit that we have some scriptures about the ability"

Rohar nodded, showing his understanding. What was left unsaid was that the Mormonts had probably had their share of wargs along their history. Now he understood better the reason why old Rickard had so readily promised his oldest daughter to the north, and sent her to the most remote keep to foster. Bear Island was probably one of the only keeps in the North with no southern presence. They had no Septas, and their master was from the north. No one to send information back south about a heretic magical ability.

"And the beast?" Asked Lord Glover between clenched teeth, looking nervously at the wolf. It seemed like the creature had heard him, because it gave a great yawn, showing the massive teeth it possessed.

Maege Mormont chuckled at Lord Glover's curse. "Found it a couple of years ago as a pup in a wildling boat after a raid, they either had a warg amongst them, or were trying to fatten him up to eat him"

The other man grumbled under his breath, before sitting in his saddle to wait.

For half an hour they waited, before the eyes turned back to grey and Heddara shook her head, as if to clear her thoughts.

"They're camped about two hours ride from here. Minimal guards." Heddara looked around at the now pitched tents. "Should we move to the camp and find ourselves a table to proceed with planning?"

The Lords nodded, and made their way towards the center of the camp, where a command post had been set up in an opened tent with a table, stools and refreshments.

After dismounting and spreading themselves around the table holding a map of the area, Heddara pointed towards the location of the wildling encampment.

"We should separate so we can attack from all sides. I'll command the host" Umber said confidently.

Heddara Stark did not seem amused. "There seems to be a misunderstanding. I will be commanding the charge."

Umber let out a loud guffaw, while Glover snorted beside him.

"You should leave the command to men with more experience than you, Girlie. You probably haven't even been blooded yet!" Umber said, in a patronizing tone.

Maege Mormont looked furious, and ready to lash out at the Lord of Last Hearth, but a single look from Heddara had her holding her tongue with gritted teeth.

"Every single person over ten name days is blooded in Bear Island. Wildlings, Ironborn, even some pirates from the far west. I have killed all kinds." She braced her arms on the table, making sure to look each Lord in the eyes. "I will command the host and personally lead the Stark and Mormont soldiers on the frontal attack. Each of you will lead your own soldiers on the other fronts."

"Now see here" Lord Umber said, pointing his finger at the young woman. "You may be a Stark but you're still only a... Aaargh" The older Lord fell down on his behind, clutching the hand that he had been pointing with. Storm, the direwolf had leapt over the table and almost bitten his hand off for the perceived offence.

"Still have a problem?" Heddara Stark asked, confident and poised. Rohar thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen

* * *

He had been wrong. The most beautiful thing was Heddara Stark, victorious, bloody sword in her hand and a direwolf with red painted fur by her side.

As per Heddara's plan, they had ridden in the night to the wildling encampment. Rohar had commanded the Bolton men to wait until the right moment, while the other groups attacked, hoping to catch the rear of the wildling group unprepared. Through the tree branches where he hid in the dark of the night, he had been able to glimpse, for those first few minutes, the Stark woman in battle.

It had been glorious.

He had felt his gut clenching with need, as Heddara flew through the night slaying her enemies. And then Horas was flying in front of him and he was screaming for his men to join in, hacking his way across the bastard wildling just so he could stand next to her, two warriors side by side.

Fuck his father's plans. He would make Heddara Stark his wife or he would die trying. Not for politics, but for himself.

As the last wildling fell, a Bear Islander cried out. "Victory to Heda!" Followed by similar cries of "Heda! Heda!" from the rest of the Mormont contingent, and soon from all the soldiers on the field.

Before today, he hadn't known of the name, but he remembered that back at camp, Maege Mormont had also called her that. Just before he'd had the chance of a few minutes of conversation.

 _Lord Umber laughed at Heddara's confidence, before nodding. "Some balls of steel you have there, Lady Stark. Very well, I will follow you on this battle."_

 _After plans were delineated, and Lord Umber and Glover were leaving towards their own tents, Maege Mormont turned to Heddara saying with a smile "Maybe now they will know not to go against the Heda"_

 _The other woman tried to swap at her, but Maege ducked laughing, leaving Heddara and Rohar alone._

 _Resting his hands on the table, Rohar brought Heddara's attention back to himself. "Forget these old men. Once you prove yourself on the battlefield, they will respect you. It was the same for me"_

 _Heddara looked at him in surprised, not expecting such honesty. "Is that so?" She asked, narrowing her eyes._

 _Did she doubt his intentions?_

 _"_ _Yes. Three years ago, some pirates tried to sail up the Last River. When they found that their boats couldn't go any farther they made to land and pillage as they wished. My father sent me to take care of them, together with Lord Umber and Lord Karstark." He reached up to the wine jug and raised it in question. Seeing her nod, he served two goblets and passed one to her. "I faced a situation very similar to what you have today. Lord Umber and Lord Karstark had a very lively debate on how to better distribute the Bolton men before I put my foot down and told then how I would do things."_

 _She looked at him, contemplating._

 _"_ _And how did things go for you in the end?" She asked._

 _"_ _We defeated the pirates easily, and my men behaved very well under my command. Since then Lord Umber and Karstark have been very accommodating. I believe Greatjon Umber enjoys telling the tale of how he and I tied in the number of men we killed, making a wager he had made with Lord Karstark impossible to resolve. He always says we must find the winner in the next battle, but somehow he never reaches a number both he and Lord Karstark agree on." He sighed, in fake commiseration._

 _She snorted, taking a sip from her cup. Her tongue darted out to clean her lips, making his heart jump._

 _"_ _I don't believe that wager will ever be resolved." She said, taking a seat in a nearby stool._

 _"_ _Should I tell you of the time Greatjon and Harris Manderley almost came to blows in White Harbor's most famous eatery?" He asked, pleased by the turn of the conversation and sitting himself facing her. "I believe an arm wrestling game was involved" He enticed further smiling._

 _"_ _By all means. One can never have too much dirt on their comrades" She replied smiling back._

 _With a laugh, Rohar refilled their cups, before regaling her with several stories about the different Lords and Heirs he had met during the years._

 _In trade, she told him about the people of Bear Island and growing up protecting its shores and its people._

He still didn't know what 'Heda' meant. It sounded like the old tongue of the first man. Maybe he could entice the lovely Heda herself to tell him the story of how that name came about.

* * *

"Lady Heddara" She heard Rohar calling her. She turned to see him smiling, his sword in his hand. "Good battle. Everything fell into place, just like you said it would."

She smiled back. She had felt a comradeship with Rohar back before the battle started. He was older than her, but only by a few years, and they had bonded through stories of their first battles.

"Yes" she said, making her way across their camp, with Rohar beside her. "Our own losses were few, though they will be properly honored."

Rohar nodded, in agreement, before turning to her. "I heard the people from Bear Island call you Heda after the battle. Many men copied them in this victory cry. What does it mean?"

She put her hand on her head, in an exasperated move. "It's something Maege came up with to annoy me, but ended up catching. 'Heda' is a play at my name and the old tongue word, or better yet, the rune, for 'Great Commander'. After I was recognized in Bear Island as a good fighter they started to use it, not as a nickname, like Maege first did, but as a name of respect" She explained with a resolved sigh.

"It suits you." Rohar smiled, looking her in the eye. "Do you know a lot about the old tongue of the first men?"

Heddara shook her head. "Just some runes and words. There is an old maid in Winterfell that knows quite a few of them and she thought me some. In Bear Island, some people know some as well, but not a lot. Maege learned some symbols from an old soldier."

They made their way across the camp, stopping to check on the injured. She noticed that Rohar made sure to check on all his men, regardless of status. He was different from most heirs she had met these last few years, on her yearly visits to Winterfell to see her family.

Most of the noble men close to her age were often immature. And if she looked at slightly older men, they proved to be too arrogant for her tastes. Not that they were bad men, not at all. Most of them were actually quite honorable. But that didn't stop them from being arrogant and full of themselves, thinking they alone knew what was best for her.

A visiting southern noble had even made a scathing comment about the dagger she wore on her hip during a banquet. She had certainly not been amused.

Even yesterday, when she had met with the other Lords to prepare for the fight against the wildlings, Lord Umber and Lord Glover had been dismissive. And they were both Northern Lords, used to fight beside Mormont woman for centuries.

But not Rohar, he had been silent, his eyes assessing her. She could feel him judging her for her worth, not his perceived expectations of her gender or her station.

She had to admit that her interest was piqued.

As they came to an intersection in the row of tents, that would take them in different ways, Rohar turned to her in way of farewell.

"You should take pride in this name, Heda" He said, with a nod. "It shows that the men in the North support and respect you."

She sighed. "You are right in what you say, Lord Rohar, but I do not wish for my friends to call me by a title." She frowned. "It does not sit well with me".

The man in front of her smiled, but she noticed a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Well, let's make a deal then"

She frowned, wondering what he was trying to get at. "A deal?" She asked, suspiciously.

"Yes" He said confidently. "When in private, or in the presence of likeminded individuals, we shall call each other by name."

She hummed. "That sounds interesting."

He smiled at her. "And maybe one day we will be close enough with each other that we can have nicknames that have nothing to do with titles"

And with a smirk and a wave, he was striding towards his tent, without bothering to wait for her response.

Maybe he was a cocky bastard after all. To be that brazen.

She smiled. He was an interesting man indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite!

A Guest (Kat), correctly connected the name 'Heda' with the 100. As soon as I choose the name Heddara, I immediately thought of Heda as a nickname, and then I couldn't stop thinking of Commander Heda from the 100. And that is how the first men's rune 'Heda', or 'The great Commander' was created!

* * *

Chapter 3 (Age 18)

III

She hugged her siblings close, planting a kiss on little – although not so little anymore – Benjen's brow and making him squirm a little. At twelve name days, her brother was now on his awkward stage, and kisses from his older sister made him embarrassed. How cute.

At the request of her father, after the battle at Long Lake, she had led the Stark contingent back to Winterfell. It was time to come back home.

Her fostering at Bear Island was now considered to be over, her time with the Mormonts having been a happy and fruitful time. She had sent her thanks for their hospitality back with Maege, after a sad goodbye.

After greeting all her siblings and her father, she felt her hand being taken by Lyanna, who pulled her inside the keep.

"Come! I have to show you everything you missed since the last time you were here!" Her brother's and father laughed at the girls enthusiasm, and made their own way inside their home.

Giving Storm a command to come and stay by her side, she followed her little sister inside, smiling.

It was good to be home.

* * *

"Have you heard of the tourney at Harrenhall?" Benjen asked, the next day at supper.

"Yes, I've heard some of the soldiers speak of it. I Believe I just missed the raven when I left Bear Island" She answered. Smiling at her brother's excitement.

"Father said we could all go! Right, Father!" Benjen turned to her father, almost vibrating in his seat.

Ben had always been excited about tales of the north and the south. The myths and the heroes. Since he had been six name days her brother had been announcing to everyone who would hear that one day he would be first ranger of the nights watch and make a map of the whole North.

She knew her father had respected that goal, as all north men did, but had hoped that Benjen would change his mind, since he had only been a child. Unfortunately, that hadn't happened. Instead, as he grew older, he became more and more sure of his chosen path for the future.

Heddara didn't mind either way, as long as her brother was happy and doing what he truly wanted.

"Yes, you will all be going." Her father replied, bringing her focus back to the conversation. "It will give Brandon and Lyanna a chance to meet their betrotheds and the two of you to meet your future goobrother and sister." Looking at her with serious eyes, her father added. "All the northern houses will be present with their young men, you should consider your options also, Heddara."

She nodded, understanding what her father was referring to. Even if she wanted to say that she didn't need, or want, a man, the truth was that she was promised to the North, and would have to marry a man of good station. Her father had given her first choice, but he would have final say on the man she would marry.

Beside her, both Brandon and Lyanna were frowning and groaning about their betrotheds, moaning about how they were boring – Brandon – or annoying – Lyanna.

"Have you ever even met them in person?" She asked, looking at her siblings. "You know it's hard to really know a person just by letters.

Brandon rolled his eyes, and told her all about how Catelyn spoke to much of the seven and about the glory of knights. She was a southern lady and sewed all day long.

She doubted the only thing the girl did was sew, but would reserve her judgement. Though by what Brandon was saying, the two of them couldn't be more different than night and day.

Turning to Lya to hear her own complaints, she was surprised to see the pout on her ace.

"You know what, little sister? Why don't we go on a ride through the godswood tomorrow morning? You can tell me all about Robert Baratheon's letters."

At her nod, Heddara went back to her supper, content in hearing Benjen stories about what moves he had learned to do with the sword during the last few months.

* * *

Rohar took a sip from his cup, as he observed his Lord father finish his supper. There was no talk during mealtime in the Bolton family. It was to be a formal affair, and talk could wait until everyone had finished and the servants had cleared the plates.

"The tourney at Harrenhall is to be the biggest the kingdom as seen since the unification of the Seven kingdoms. I would like to lead house Bolton south, and support all House Bolton soldiers who wish to participate in the competitions, Father" He stated, once all plates had been taken away.

His father looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"You will not compete in any of those silly southern games." He said gruffly. "I am not about to lose my heir in a glorified cock measuring contest for summer children."

Rohar nodded. "Maybe in archery, but I have no interest in the melee, nor the joust." He promised. "I wish to go for the political contacts father. Almost every Noble house in Westeros will be present. The Stark siblings themselves are said to be all going."

At least that was what one of the soldiers he had managed to get under his employment as a spy had said, in the letter he had managed to send out.

He was not about to lose this chance to get to know more about the mysterious Heddara Stark.

"Very well, you may go. Take your brother with you. It will do him good to meet more noble heirs." Lord Bolton said, waving a hand to dismiss his two sons.

Rohar had his hand in the door knob when his father's voice sounded again.

"I will be expecting good news when you come back."

Turning just enough to nod in his father's general direction, he opened the door and entered the hall, soon followed by Roose.

"What are you doing, brother?" Roose asked, his narrowed eyes inspecting him, trying to read his face.

"I'm laying the ground work to conquer a woman's heart, Roose." He said, sending him smirk.

"The Stark girl? You want her?" His brother sounded surprised. "Aye she is quite comely. More than most even. But there is too much fight in her. I would rather not have a wolf in my bed." He narrowed his eyes. "It could prove fatal to my health."

Rohar laughed, patting his brother in the back.

"Maybe for you brother, but for me, I find the wolf side of her exhilarating." He smirked again. "What is life without some adventure?"

He said his goodbyes to his brother, before making his way to his rooms. Maybe he should send a letter to the young woman, start to build a certain intimacy.

* * *

"And in his letters, he always speaks about how good he is with a war hammer and how beautiful people say I am" Lyanna's face contorted in her disgust of the Baratheon heir. "It's sickening."

Heddara sighed, guiding her horse through the trees. She praised the gods that they were already on their way back to Winterfell, and that she wouldn't have to take much more of the repeating arguments. She missed the pragmatic view of romantic problems of the Mormons in situations like these.

"Lya, sister, you have to keep an open mind." She said, in a soothing voice. "I know it's disheartening but at least the man sounds besotted with you and that means that he will treat you well and try to never hurt you."

"You don't get it!" Lyanna said pouting. "You'll get to choose your own husband!"

Heddara sighed, asking the gods to grant her patience. "Between the Northern heirs and father still has the last word. What if I love a southern man? What then? We would never be allowed to marry because I'm promised to the North." She turned serious eyes to her sister. "You're promised to a man, and I am promised to a whole kingdom."

Her sister turned her face away, not wanting to continue the conversation now that the subject wasn't going her way.

Heddara sighed again. This was becoming a habit around her sister. "Just, promise me you'll give him a chance. You're only hurting yourself by hating him before even meeting the man." She said, pulling on her sister's reins so their horses would both stop. She looked down at her sister until she relented.

"Fine! I'll give him a chance!" Lyanna said, before clicking her tongue and getting the horse moving.

Heddara had a bad feeling as she looked at the back of her sister's head. She sighed.

* * *

"I'm worried about Lya, father" She said, as she sat in front of her father's desk in his solar. "Her distaste of Robert Baratheon... It doesn't bode well."

He shook his head and put down his papers. "To marry someone of our parents' choice is the fate of all those of noble birth. Even your mother and I had an arranged marriage. We were only friends when we married, love came latter."

Heddara sighed. "I know that, father, and I believe that deep down Lyanna knows that too. But from what I have been hearing, Lya and Robert Baratheon have very clashing personalities. That could mean a very sad future for her."

Her father sighed and shook his head. "I understand your worries for your sister's happiness, but I will not break my word on the betrothal to Lord Baratheon unless there are any signs that he could possibly mistreat her. She must find common ground and make the most of the situation herself."

Understanding that his father would not give any more consideration to the issue at the moment, she nodded and took her leave.

* * *

Heddara was approaching her rooms after coming from a training session with the master at arms of Winterfell, when Maester Cerran intercepted her.

"A letter has come for you, Lady Heddara" He said, extending the hand that held the letter, and frowning in distaste at her state of dress.

She took the letter with raised eyebrows, daring the man to comment on her training and dressing like a man. Looking at the parchment she noticed the seal was broken. "It's been opened?" She questioned, turning the letter around in her hands, inspecting it.

"There was no indication of whom it was meant to, my Lady. If you will excuse me." The maester explained, before bowing and leaving.

Heddara narrowed her eyes at the maester's back, before making her way back to her rooms.

Sitting at her table after properly taking care of her equipment, and cleaning herself, she inspected the letter more closely.

The Bolton seal was broken, like she had noticed before, but now that she could look properly she could notice faint scratch marks along the thick parchment. Oh, the man had been good, but not careful enough. The middle area of one of the sides was more scratched than the rest of it. He had probably thought that she wouldn't give a second thought to his explanation, and wouldn't notice the marks.

As she opened her letter, Heddara decided to keep this knowledge close to her vest. She would need to figure out how deep Cerran's treachery ran.

* * *

 _Dear Lady Heddara,_

 _I hope this letter finds you well, and that you and the Stark contingent found the travel to Winterfell an easy and swift one._

 _My own contingent made good time to the Dreadfort. The news of the tourney at Harrenhall have turned the spirits of the men high, especially since there are to be a few competitions for unknighted men, so long as they are sponsored by their lords._

 _My Lord father as given me leave to lead the Bolton men that wish to participate in the journey south. I, myself, do not find any interest in participating in jousts or melees, but find the archery competitions to be a good opportunity to test oneself against the best in the realm._

 _This letter comes with two purposes. Firstly, since I have heard that both you and your siblings will be attending the tourney, I would like to offer to join our houses in the travel south for both a show of unity and safety on the kingsroad. The Bolton contingent should make it to Moat Cailin in two moons, from the moment I write this letter. If your family would be agreeable to travel together, please let me know when you would expect to arrive at the Moat._

 _The other issue I would like to speak of, is the possibility of exchanging more letters. I found that I quite enjoyed our conversations during the preparations of the battle of Long Lake. It would be unfortunate should our conversations no longer happen._

 _With your consideration,_

 _Rohar Bolton, heir Bolton of the Dreadfort_

* * *

 _Lord Rohar,_

 _I am glad to hear of your safe travel back to your family keep. The Stark host had a similar experience, thankfully._

 _I would like to gracefully accept your proposal to travel together, in the name of myself and my family. We should make it to the Moat at around the same time, so there should not be any problems of coordinating our travels._

 _I must admit that I also enjoyed our conversations, and would like to explore a friendship between us. If I may be so bold, I would like to start it by asking that you right my name clearly, and very boldly, in the outside parchment of your next letter, but make no mention of doing so in the letter itself. There is someone I wish to test, and I promise to explain in more detail when we next see each other._

 _Please forgive me for keeping this letter so short, but I am called to help with supervising the plans for the journey and the packing of mine and my younger sister's things._

 _Thoughtfully,_

 _Heddara Stark_

* * *

 _Lady Heddara,_

 _I hope to find you well. I have warned my men of the time we will be leaving, in order to keep to schedule._

 _Do you believe in coincidences? Just the other day I found a book in my library depicting several runes of the first men. Just like we spoke of when we last saw each other, I had never been too interested in them but I now found myself curious. I learned to write my own name in it, maybe I will try other names next..._

* * *

 _Lord Rohar,_

 _Some coincidences are quite unexpected indeed. I am pleased that our conversation as led you to new knowledge. I have included in this letter a few runes that you might find interesting, for they refer to..._


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite!

Special shout out to sucuri, Anime Princess and ol-11jrw, who took time to review the last chapter! Some of your wishes will come true, some won't, but I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

* * *

Chapter 4 (age 18)

IV

The three standing towers of Moat Cailin where imposing. Getting out of her tent at dawn had brought a new perspective. When it was in its golden days, the Moat must have truly been formidable.

Maybe one day it would be brought back to its old glory. It would definitely help fortify the North.

"It is certainly an impressive sight" Rohar said, making her turn to her right to see him pulling his horse to stand beside her, where she was fixing her saddle bags. The Bolton contingent had arrived the day before, and the Starks the day before that, and they hadn't had the chance to talk in private before.

"It is" She agreed.

"You caught your grey ratty spy?" He asked, looking around and noticing that they were alone at the moment. She wasn't surprised he had come to the right conclusion, considering that some northern people called the Maesters grey rats.

"Yes. Nothing much I could do about it except warn my father so he is aware of the situation." And hadn't that been a thorn on her side. She had shown her father the two letters, the first one with scratches on the outside parchment, the second with the outside parchment completely missing. They had agreed to be more careful with sensitive mail, but dismissing Maester Cerran outright was, unfortunately, too risky. The citadel would send another maester, and that one might not be so bad at his side job.

And on a side note, her father now knew that Rohar and her were exchanging letters. The twinkle in his eye had been infuriating.

Rohar nodded in agreement. "That was the right move. Better the spy you know, than the one you don't." He put his hand in his bag and took out a piece of parchment, extending it to her.

She took it and flipped it to see a First Men rune. She frowned "The sun?" She asked, trying to translate it.

"Almost. The rune 'Dara' means the 'the light of dawn'. And is also part of your name. Maybe it can be your new nickname." He explained with a smile that made her stomach flutter. She could feel her checks redden slightly, and turned her face so he wouldn't notice. His low chuckle behind her told her she was not successful, and she cursed under her breath.

They were on the road for a few hours, traveling side by side and striking conversation about the most various subjects when her brother Benjen joined them, eyes shining with curiosity.

"So, your Lord Rohar Bolton? Do you know how to flay people?" He asked excitedly.

"Ben!" Heddara admonished, not believing her brother would say such an impolite thing.

Rohar laughed, waving away her worries. "It's not a problem. I imagine most people think that when they first meet me, even if they don't say it." His eyes were filled with amusement. "As by order of Winterfell, we haven't slayed men as a normal practice since two thousand years ago. I believe the last time we did so was during the last Andal invasion, when the King of Winter at the time, one of the many Brandon's I think, asked the Boltons to flay the Andal commanders so they could be displayed along the border." He took out a fox pelt hat from his satchel. "Currently the House of Bolton is renowned for its animal pelt clothing. Hats, gloves, cloaks and many other items. We are the best workers. I skinned this one myself." He said, extending the item for Benjen to inspect.

Her brother hummed under his breath. "But could you skin a man if you wanted to?"

Rohar rubbed his chin, considering the boy. "Could I? Tell me Benjen, can you skin a rabbit?" At the affirmative answer, the man asked. "Could you skin a man if you wanted to?"

The boy was caught by surprise at the question, blustering and stammering to find an answer.

"There is your answer. I can admit having read texts about the issue, from old Bolton journals. But I have only ever skinned animals. Admittedly, I may have some more skill than you or many other man at skinning a rabbit or a fox, but at the end of the day, we are the same. Could we skin a man, alive or dead? If that man was an enemy and we were ordered to do it by our Lord or King, would we do it?" Rohar kept his serious eyes on Benjen, and Heddara felt her breath catch, wondering at the answer. "I honestly do not know. I have never experienced the horrors of war. I hope I never have to face that question."

Benjen seemed satisfied with the answer. Nodding at Rohar with star struck eyes and immediately jumping into more questions about the Dreadfort and Bolton traditions.

Heddara noticed that Rohar had left the answer opened to interpretation. Rohar had not denied having the skill to skin a man, simply downplaying it and making it a banal skill. He had also implied that in the case of war, he was not so against the use of such a skill.

As Heddara looked at the column of man crossing the swamps of the Neck, she couldn't help but think that it was just as well that Rohar was such a pragmatic man. If what she had heard about the state of the politics in Kings Landing, war would be coming sooner rather than latter, and she would want him on her side.

* * *

The crowd roared, as Mykos Tyrel missed his target, effectively giving Rohar Bolton the win of the archery contest.

Heddara clapped along with her brothers and sister, as Rohar was given the purse of winnings by King Aerys.

"Well, at least he his good with a bow." Brandon said dismissively, before looking at her. "He better treat you right, or I will gut him. Why couldn't you fancy someone not a Bolton? Maybe a Karstark or an Umber? Even a Ryswell would have been better!"

Heddara rolled her eyes. "We are not even betrothed, Brandon"

"You will be, soon." Her brother said confidently. "I give him until the end of the tourney to ask you permission to ask father for your hand. He is already informally courting you." He narrowed his eyes. "If he doesn't ask for your hand soon that means that he is just leading you on. I will gut him!" He stated furiously, standing up from his seat.

Heddara pulled him back down with a scowl. "You won't be gutting anyone. If me and Rohar decide to marry that is our own business. Understood?" She glared down at her older brother, for more effect.

He grumbled but acquiesced.

"Ah! You want to marry him!" Benjen said on her other side.

"Shut up Ben." She said under her breath.

Dam her annoying brothers.

She had to admit that Rohar appealed to her, both intellectually and physically. He was a very handsome man. He was also someone that respected her, and admired her abilities as a warrior.

She wouldn't get her hopes up, though. She would see were this would take her.

* * *

Rohar placed his bets on Prince Rhaegar, even before the joust started, with a single dragon from his purse of winnings. He believed that the prince would win, for who would dare to beat him and incur the wrath of the King? Well, maybe the kingsguard, which was why he hadn't put more money on him. With the likes of Dayne and Selmy around, one could never be too certain.

The win in the archery contest, two days previously had been a good omen. Or at least he was taking it as such. When Heddara had congratulated him on his win he had been as elated as a young lad after receiving a pretty lady's smile for the first time. His brother had called him a ridiculously smitten fool. He agreed that maybe he was being a fool, but since he was careful not to show those reactions in public, he didn't care.

He saw her coming around a bend in the camp, helping a very bruised boy towards her family's pavilion with the help of her sister.

He hurried his pace and made his way to the Stark's tent, reaching it at the same time as the two sisters and unknown boy.

"Let me help." He said, taking Lyanna's place. "What happened?" Together they carried the boy inside and sat him on a stool.

Heddara frowned, her lips twisting in disgust. "Me and Lyanna found a group of Riverlander boys beating up on Howland here. Mostly Freys, I believe."

Lyanna looked up from where she had been cleaning up Howland's injured face, eyes flashing in her fury. "How dare those weasels attack one of our bannerman. They have to pay!"

Rohar saw Heddara shake her head behind the girl. She seemed exasperated. He could understand that. Heddara was a woman with a head on her shoulders. She thought before she acted and understood all the possible consequences of her actions. Her sister and older brother? Not so much.

"That is easily arranged." He said, nodding to Lyanna, with an agreeing smile. Behind her Heddara frowned, no doubt wandering what her was thinking. "A word here and there and their reputations will never recover. No one will wed them or even talk with them"

Heddara nodded. "A good idea. And easily done."

Lyanna scoffed with a sneer. "Like that will teach them anything."

Howland shook his head. "They are right my Lady. A rumor can be a very damaging." Turning to Rohar he bowed his head. "I am Howland Reed. I thank you for your help, my Lord."

Rohar waved away his thanks. "I am Rohar Bolton. As a fellow Northman, of course I would extend my help." Looking up at Heddara, who was still studying her sister, he asked "Lady Heddara, may we speak for a moment?"

Leading her out of the tent, he offered her his arm and was pleased when she lightly took it, as they calmly made their way across the Northern section of the camp.

She looked beautiful, like always. In the last few days she had been wearing dresses, and he had to admit they made her look even more like a goddess. The first time he had seen her in a dress, a long dagger hanging from her belt, he had almost been struck silent. He had, of course, not shown any outward reaction, except for a smile and a compliment on her beauty that had made her blush. Inside, however, was another story. Is heartbeat had risen and his loins had clenched with desire.

"You worry for your sister." He said, looking down at her face. The contours of her lips where still firmly pressed together, showing her worry.

Heddara nodded, with a soft sight. "I don't know how you can read me so well, or why you even bother to do so."

"I bother, because I care." He said, stopping so he could look her in the eyes, in an effort to make her see the truth in his words.

She smiled. "Yes, it seems that you do."

They continued their walk, her hand closing around his arm more firmly.

* * *

Heddara paced inside her tent, sending a glare towards her brother Benjen, who fidgeted in his seat.

It had taken her more time then she would like to admit, to figure out who the knight of the Laughing tree was. But that afternoon, as the knight had taken to the tourney grounds, she had recognized some pieces of armor as ones she had seen before in Lyanna's or Benjen's tents, and everything had clicked.

As the knight fled after the joust, followed by the Prince and some of members of the kingsguard, she had immediately grabbed Benjen by the ear and pulled him into her sister's tent, demanding answers.

It hadn't taken long to make him talk, and now she was waiting for her foolish sister to come back.

Lyanna came inside, a bundle under her arm, and startled at seeing them waiting for her.

Heddara cursed, grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her into a hug. She let out a breath. "Damn you Lya, do you know how worried Benjen and I were?" She asked, grabbing her sister by the shoulders and glaring at her.

"You told on me?" Lyanna glared at Benjen, dropping her things on the floor with a clang of metal.

Benjen cringed. "She recognized the armor and guessed it was you. What was I supposed to do?"

Lyanna kept her glare on her face and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"What were you thinking Lya? You could have gotten seriously hurt!" Heddara said, passing her hand through her braided hair in frustration. "The king is furious. He believes an enemy was jousting in order to mock him. He sent men everywhere."

"Well, he didn't find me." Her sister said stubbornly.

"Did you get away? Did one of the Kingsguard or the Prince see you?" Benjen asked, sounding slightly worried. Well, at least one of her siblings understood the dangers of the situation.

"It was fine" She said shrugging, turning her face down to take a sip of wine.

Heddara frowned, had that been a smile on the girls face?

"They saw you! Are out of your senses? The King already burns servants left and right for any perceived transgression, do you want to face his ire?" Heddara gritted out. She was raging inside. Did her sister have cotton between her ears? Did she think at all? "Why do you think I have been wearing dresses since we arrived? Or left Storm back in Winterfell instead of bringing him along? We do not need the attention of the King."

Lyanna rolled her eyes. "You're exaggerating, as always. He would never condemn a Lady in such a way. And anyway, the prince was the only one to see me and he promised not to tell the King. He helped me escape from the Kingsguard without being seen"

Heddara shook her head, furious. "Yes, you are right. He would never condemn a Lady. Instead he would condemn her father or brother for not having 'kept her in her place'."

Lyanna rose from her seat, enraged. "No one keeps me in my place! Not you and not that drunk Baratheon who spends every feast in drinking contests and looking up serving girls!"

Heddara, took the two steps that separated them and took her sister by the shoulders. "You are not in the North Lyanna! Here in the south women all but belong to their fathers, brothers or husbands. A woman's crime is therefore their crime, unless they renounce her. Something that you know very well neither Brandon nor father would ever do! It's in the law! The law that the king can very well enforce if he so wishes!" She shook the younger girl by her shoulders, trying to get some sense into her. "Why in the Others would you do this?"

Lyanna shrugged free of her sister and glared, crossing her arms. "And let those stupid squires get away with what they did to Howland? They needed to be though a lesson!"

Heddara growled. "And this is the way you found to do it?!" She shook her head. "Rohar told you he would take care of it. Why didn't you listen? Even Howland agreed to it!"

Lyanna scoffed. "Like that craven idea would ever change anything!"

Heddara glared down at her.

"Get dressed" She ordered. "You too Benjen"

She turned to leave the tent when her sister interrupted her. "Get dressed for what?"

She turned around and said. "You're going to the feast. You're going to observe the lords and see what you accomplished with your foolish plan, and what Rohar got with his. And you will dance with Robert Baratheon and actually strike a conversation with the man. Get dressed."

* * *

"Do you see it?" She asked her sister.

"See what?" Lyanna asked with gritted teeth.

Heddara discreetly pointed towards a table by the wall, where one of the squires that had assaulted Howland sat at, surrounded by his peers.

"Listen carefully. He is speaking very loudly." Heddara said with a nod towards the squire.

 _"An essossi I tell you. Maybe one of those savages Dothraki that are born on top of horses. They're not man at all!" One man said loudly, catching the attention of many people._

 _"I heard it was Jaime Lannister, disobeying the orders of the King." Another said._

 _"Nah! The lion boy sent a letter from the Red Keep. A cousin of mine heard it from a servant boy that serves the maester"_

 _"It was a foreigner aye. Here to cause trouble between the lords I tell you."_

Lyanna gasped. "They didn't get the point! Those squires are ruffians! The knight of the laughing tree said that!" She whispered to Heddara.

"Without proof, no one would believe a masked 'man'" Heddara said, before bringing her sister's attention to another conversation.

 _"And I hear he allows the boy to go to brothel houses. He even went with him a few times, that Blount, he did!" A woman said._

 _"And my maid was saying today that Maron Haigh's squire already has a bastard! Can you believe this! And he wanted to get a betrothal to that Hightower girl! Can you imagine!" The woman scoffed, talking loudly and looking sideways at a table of man, where some knights were now carefully paying attention. "Can you imagine a Hightower girl marrying a man that can't even keep his squires in line! Uh. I'll see the day!"_

Heddara and Lyanna noticed the table of man, become busy with whispers. A man got up and move to another table, where he whispered at someone else's ear.

 _"And that Walden Frey! Can you believe that he has been saying he will get a marriage to Cersei Lannister? How foolish can he be? Like Tywin Lannister would give his daughters hand to a lowly man like him! He might actually kill the idiotic man as revenge for such audacity!"_

 _"Where did you hear that?"_

 _"My Husband's squire told him that the Frey's squire told him so the other day at the feast" The ladies at the table all tittered at the foolish Knight's boasts._

More men where leaving the table beside the ladies, and moving around the hall to spread the gossip. In one of the tables, a man got up, his face livid, and made his way to the squires table, whispering furiously at the ringleader of Howland's attackers, before grasping him by the arm and dragging him off.

"Do you understand now?" Heddara asked her sister, before taking a sip of her cup. "Rumors are not immediate. They take time to spread. But they are always very effective at damaging reputations. Those knights will now believe that their squires are responsible for their poor standing, and punish them accordingly."

Lyanna opened and closed her mouth. "But they will never punish for Howland's poor treatment. It's unfair." She complained.

"Very few things in life are fair, little sister." Heddara said, looking around the hall, and bringing Lyanna's attention to another altercation between Knight and squire. "But they will be punished, and Howland will know that the Stark's take care of their own." They both turned to the table where Howland was eating with the Reeds, and the boy nodded at them with a smile, before raising his cup in a toast. Heddara responded with her own cup. "See?"

Lyanna grumbled under her breath.

Noticing Robert Baratheon approaching their table, she turned back to her sister. "Robert is coming to ask you to dance. Please, make conversation and try to get to know him better, instead of just going through the motions, alright?"

* * *

"Lady Heddara, would you like to dance?" Heron Karstark asked, a confident smile on his face.

Heddara forced herself to smile. She had met the young man before, and had found him pleasant enough. If one ignored his view on woman's role to society and his two left feet when dancing, that is.

"Ah, I'm afraid Lord Karstark, that Lady Heddara as already promised me a dance. Shall we my lady?" Rohar interrupted, standing beside her seat with his hand outstretched, while nodding absently to the other Lord.

She smiled in apology to Heron, and took Rohar's hand, letting him pull her to the dance floor were other pairs had already been dancing.

"Thank you for that" She said with a smile.

He laughed. "It was my pleasure. No one should suffer Heron Karstark's feet during a dance."

She smiled, silently agreeing with him. "I must also thank you for helping with the Howland situation." She told him. "You did an amazing work of it."

He chuckled. "Why, thank you" He said, before twirling her around as the dance asked for,

"You know, I think I will call you Dara, from now on." He said, looking down at her after they were once more dancing close together. "You look radiant in that dress."

She felt her cheeks flush. This man had a gift to make her face redden, apparently.

"Thank you. You look very dashing yourself." She said. "And yes, you may call me Dara when we are in private."

They danced to the music, following the steps of the southern dance.

"Your sister doesn't seem to be happy with her betrothed." Rohar said, turning her so she could see Lyanna and Robert dancing.

Robert seemed to be talking animatedly, and Lyanna looked like she was barely making an effort to nod along, her eyes studying Prince Rhaegar, who was sitting at the high table with his family.

She sighed, before shaking her head.

"I don't want to think about that right now. Let us speak of other things. I will deal with that issue tomorrow."

Rohar smiled handsomely back at her. "Very well. Let us speak about courting." He said, before spinning her around.

Her heart leapt out of her chest. "Courting?" She tried to keep her voice even, but was aware that she failed completely.

"Yes." He said, bringing her as close as propriety would allow. "Would you allow me to court you Heddara. Formally and properly?" His eyes bore into her, and she could see his passion. He was completely serious about the subject. "If you say yes, I will send a Raven to your father as soon as I can."

She looked at him. A formal courting was almost a betrothal. She could back down, of course, but only if he did something offensive. Did she want that? To be almost tied to this man that she had known for a few moons? This charming man that respected her and supported her?

"Yes."

The smile he gave her was so radiant she was certain nothing could bring darkness to their world.

* * *

The next day, Prince Rhaegar won the joust and crowned Lyanna queen of love and beauty, in front of almost all the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, including his own wife.

Heddara cursed inwardly, and only Rohar hand in hers stopped her form doing so out loud.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite!**

 **Big shout out to 'sucuri', 'HPuni101', 'Vulcan Blackfyre', 'Shiranai Atsune', 'Tharl' and the 'Guest', all of whom took the time to review this story!**

 **Shiranai Atsune mentioned that he thought Rhaegar would crown Heddara instead of Lyanna. That might have happened if Heddara wasn't so suspicious of the current political climate in the south, and therefore trying very hard to go unnoticed. She only whore dresses instead of her more usual armored leathers, and left her direwolf in Winterfell. She made sure that she was no different from any other Lady, while Lyanna was running around jousting and being caught by Princes. :)**

* * *

Chapter Five (Age 18-19)

V

Heddara put down the last letter from Rohar, thinking about his tales of the Dreadfort. They had been exchanging letters almost constantly since coming back to the North two moons ago. Thankfully, her father had arranged for Maester Cerran to have a helper with the ravens that was completely loyal to the Starks. Maester Cerran had protested, but her father had insisted, citing that this way the maester could dedicate his time to reorganizing the Stark library.

Her father had been pleased with Rohar's proposal, and after making sure that she was in agreement and wished for the courtship, had accepted it.

She was happily and eagerly awaiting every letter. Recently he had asked her to visit his home - and possibly hers in the future - and she intended to do so soon. But first she needed to try to reach out to her sister.

On their way back to Winterfell, Brandon had stayed in Riverrun in order to better meet his betrothed. She knew he hadn't liked the girl much, when he met her at Harrenhall, but he was making an effort, at least.

Lyanna was another story. She was writing all the right things in her letters, but her head and heart weren't in it.

Dressing in her training leathers, she made her way to the training yard, where she had planned to meet her sister, Storm trotting beside her, his tongue hanging from his mouth and his tail wagging.

Hopefully a training session with their swords would make her sister more open to talk.

* * *

"That was a good bout" Heddara said, rubbing the sweat from her face with a rag.

Lyanna shrugged. "You won all of them." She said.

Heddara laughed. "I'm older and more experienced. But you made me work for it." Stretching her arms behind her back, she cracked her joints and elongated her muscles. "How are you with the Robert thing. You still exchange letters?"

Lyanna scoffed. "I don't care for the whoring drunk. And he hasn't been writing much. I only got two letters from him"

Heddara frowned. "But you've received more than two letters." Seeing her sister fidget in her seat, she narrowed her eyes at her. "Who has been sending you letters?"

"No one! Just... Brandon and stuff" Lyanna said quickly.

Heddara crossed her arms, glaring at the girl. "Your lying. You can never fool me and you know it." When Lyanna turned so she wouldn't see her face, stubbornly refusing to answer, Heddara was suddenly struck by a terrible possibility. "Is it the Prince?"

Her sister stiffened, and Heddara had her answer.

Gods, what was the girl thinking. Heddara had to stifle her first, instinctual, reaction, that was to scream out and shake Lyanna. That would just make her stay silent. She needed to find out what was happening.

"What do the two of you write about?" She asked calmly.

Her sister turned back to her with a smile, studently excited. She had apparently been holding in this information for a while. "He sends me poems and talks about the many beautiful places in the Kingdoms." She let out a dreamy sigh. "He promised to show them to me one day"

Heddara gulped. This was very bad. And dangerous. What was the Prince thinking, seducing her sister?

"So, you are friends?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant. "What does the Prince think of Robert? Or more importantly, what does Robert think of the Prince?"

Lyanna scoffed, crossing her arms. "What does Robert have to do with anything?"

Heddara, reached over to brush a lose strand of hair behind Lyanna's ear.

"Sweetling, Robert is to be your husband. Your friends should be his friends, and his friends should be yours. "

Lyanna turned her face with a frown. "He wouldn't understand."

"Why?"

Lyanna fidgeted again, before looking back at her with dreams in her eyes. "He would be jealous. Prince Rhaegar writes beautiful poems."

Heddara sighed. "Then Robert would have a reason to be jealous. Another man should not be writing poems to his betrothed."

Lyanna glared at her. "I don't want to marry that oaf Robert. I heard he even has a bastard daughter already. I bet he goes whoring in the Vale all the time!"

"I understand why that would upset you, but you have to be careful Lya." Heddara said, taking her sister's hand in hers. "You and Robert are promised to each other. He has his faults, of course, but no man is perfect, and he obviously adores you." Lyanna made to take her hand back, clearly upset at the turn the conversation had taken, but Heddara held on tight. "Prince Rhaegar is married, Lya. He has children of his own already. Please be careful with your heart."

Lyanna finally ripped her hand away, standing up and looking down at Heddara.

"Your happy with your Lord already! Why can't I be happy too!" She asked furious.

Heddara stood up, trying to sooth her. "I want you to be happy Lya, I do. But I fear that this path you are taking will only bring you heartbreak."

Lyanna scoffed. "You're so unfair! You'll never get it! Go to the Dreadfort already and don't come back!"

Heddara watched her sister leave the courtyard, hurt and worried for what may happen. She would get Benjen to keep an eye on Lya, and hopefully stop her from doing anything wrong. And maybe give another word to her father about how unhappy Lyanna was with the Baratheon match. Maybe he would change his mind about it. Though she doubted it.

* * *

Lyanna read Rhaegar's last letter again, before looking at the foot of her bead where her saddle bags were sitting, full of things that were not supposed to be there if she was only going for a quick ride in the godswoods.

She had answered positively to the question in the letter, and if she really wanted to go through with it, she would need to leave the keep very soon.

She grabbed the blue scarf laying on her bed. Her sister had made it for her when she had come back from Bear Island. The last time she had seen her had been two weeks ago, and they had parted badly. She had not gone to say goodbye, even though Ben had latter told her that Heddara had sent her well wishes before departing for the Dreadfort. Three days ago, they had received a raven stating her sister's safe arrival and first impressions of the old fortress.

Lyanna had considered asking her sister advice on what to do about the Prince's proposal. Or even Ben, who had been following her around since Heddara had left - no doubt lonely out of his mind - but had eventually decided not to do so. She might send a raven to Bran from the road, but not to Ben or Heddara. None of them would understand it. Not like the Prince did. They were both chained down by others promises and only wanted to break free.

And they would do it together.

* * *

"Dara. What do you think?" Rohar asked her, joining her on the walls around the Dreadfort, where she stood looking at the village below, Storm by her side.

She turned with a smiled, taking his offered arm, as they started to walk along the wall.

"It is an incredible fortress. It's might is unmistakable." She stated, with a twinkle in her eyes. "But I must say your great hall would fill my brother's imaginations of Bolton torture practices. The decorations are very... unique."

Rohar chuckled. "Yes, my ancestors were quite morbid. I can assure you that once I am Lord of the Dreadfort, those torches will come down if you so wish it."

"Hum, something to consider." She said with a smile. "But you never know, they may grow on me"

They walked for few more minutes, before Rohar changed courses.

"I wish to show you something." He said, leading her towards a different entrance of the fortress, her direwolf lazily following behind them.

They entered what looked like the dungeons, going down a few stairs and entering a tunnel that had a slight downwards inclination.

"We are in the Bolton dungeons." Rohar explained, leading her towards a door and stopping before opening it. "Dara, the Boltons no longer skin their enemies, and we no longer hang their skins on our walls. Those times are long past. But we are a hard family. There were times when we were the Kings of Winter chief torturers. During the various wars that this realm has seen, many Boltons were known for torturing the enemies of the Kingdom."

Heddara nodded. "I know this." She said. "Whatever is on the other side of that door will not frighten me away. I know that your own father tortured enemies for information during the war of the Ninepenny Kings. I see no shame in that. It is unfortunately na awful and terrible reality and necessity of war."

Rohar looked relieved, and nodded, before opening the door and leading her inside. It was, as she expected, a torture chamber. Many instruments were spread around the room, some on tables or hanging from the walls.

"I don't think I want to know what some of these things do. I guess you would know them all." She asked, turning around to look at him.

"Yes. Both me and Roose were thought what to do, in case we would need to know." Rohar said, the uncertainty back in his voice.

Heddara took the few steps that separated them and put her arms around him in a hug.

"I do not begrudge you this knowledge. One day it may save your life."

He hugged her back fiercely, and they both reveled in the feeling.

They had just come back out to the courtyard when a servant found them.

"My Lord, a raven just came in for you, from Winterfell." The man said, bowing and extending the letter to Rohar, who inspected it, before opening it.

Heddara looked at him in curiosity, wandering why her father would send a raven to Rohar and not to her. However, his face soon lost most of his color and Heddara's instincts screamed at her in alarm.

"What is it?" She asked, with a sense of urgency.

"You must go back to Winterfell immediately." Rohar said, starting to lead her towards the keep.

"Rohar, what happened?" She forced him to stop, so she could look at him in the eyes.

"Your sister has gone missing. She never came back from her ride in the godswoods. There are rumors saying that the Prince was seen near Winterfell with two members of the Kingsguard. The people are saying he took her." Rohar said, extending the letter to her. "Your father wants you in Winterfell, in case he has to leave."

She read faster than she ever had in her life. "I'll get my things. Will you warn my men?"

Rohar took her hand, pulling her close for another hug. "I'll take care of it. It will be alright"

As they separated and she went to retrieve her belongings, Heddara couldn't stop the dread that pooled in her stomach.

* * *

Heddara brushed her hand over Ice, wondering when everything had gone so wrong.

Her father was dead.

Her brother was dead.

Her sister was missing.

She had known her father might not come back. And he had known it too, for he had left Ice in her hands, with a parting of 'In case you need it', before mounting his horse and leaving Winterfell for the last time.

The tears had already been shed. Now, only the anger and resentment stayed.

"What do we do now?" Benjen asked, putting down the letter from the King.

"We should send words for the guards to prepare to escort you to King's Landing, so you can do the Kings binding and swear featly to him, Lord Benjen" Maester Cerran interjected, from a corner of her father's solar.

Which was no longer his solar.

Heddara gritted her teeth, annoyed by the man's presence and his dubious advice.

"Maester Cerran, if you would please leave me and my brother alone, we would like to have words in private." She said, controlling her anger as best as she could.

The master sneered. "Lord Benjen is now Lord Stark, and needs my valuable advice. You may believe you hold power over him, my lady, but that is not so."

Benjen slammed his fist on the table. "Out, master, I wish to speak with my sister."

Contritely, the man obeyed, closing the Solar's door behind him.

"What should we do, Heda? I don't care what the master says. I'm not swearing fealty to a man that just killed Brandon and Father."

Heddara was going to answer, when she heard a rustle on the other side of the door. Giving Bran a sign to be quiet, she silently stood up.

"I know that Ben. But what can we do?" She moved to the door, grabbing the knob and got ready to open it.

Benjen nodded. "We could call the banners."

Heddara opened the door and pulled the eavesdropping master inside, slamming him against the stone wall.

"What do you think you are doing, maester?" She slammed pressed his head harder against the wall with her elbow, for good measure.

"You can't do this! I'm a maester!" The man threatened.

Heddara growled under her breath. "We will see about that. Guards!"

As the guards took the traitorous maester away to the dungeons, Heddara turned to her brother.

"So, we call the banners?" She asked, her head back to the most important issue.

Benjen nodded. "Yes."

* * *

Rohar stopped his horse atop a hill, inspecting the Bolton caravan on its way to Winterfell.

His father was leading the column, and he and his brother had been charged with making sure every man behaved and the progress went smoothly.

"Things are going well. We will reach Winterfell by midday tomorrow." Roose said, stopping beside him.

"Good." Rohar said, looking down at the procession below.

"It's a shame about your betrothal." Roose commented, looking at him. "As the oldest and only Stark of age, Heddara will have to be her brother's regent. Benjen Stark is only three and ten, your marriage might have to wait for three or four years."

Rohar shook his head. "It might not be that simple." Putting his hand inside his robe pocket, he took out a letter. "Here, it arrived a few hours after the formal call of the banners."

Roose took the letter, scanning the contents quickly.

"Benjen Stark wishes to talk to you privately, at your earliest convenience, once we arrive at Winterfell." His brother summarized. "What do you believe he want's? Do you fear he might deny you the right to the betrothal?"

Rohar took the letter back. "No. I don't think that that is the problem. I believe it might be something else."

Rohar looked back down at the column, his thoughts drifting. Beside him, his brother patiently waited for him to explain, knowing him well enough to understand that he would soon explain himself.

"Tell me, little brother, how would you like being Lord of the Dreadfort?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I thought I should let everyone know that this story will have around 12 chapters, ending with the end of the rebellion. I have everything mostly written, and I am now editing and adding details.**

 **I am telling you guys this because I have absolutely no clue whatsoever about what to write in the sequel to this story. I want to write a sequel, that would move on towards cannon time, but what should happen in it?**

 **Give me some ideas guys! I know you guys don't know how this story will end, but even so, with what you have read so far, how do you think Heddara would react to cannon events post rebellion?**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite!**

 **Special shout out to all those who reviewed! 'Vulcran Blackfyre", "celinesLineC-Line", "ZodiacsKlaroline", "Freakdogsflare", "kitsune-miko-witch", "Hachiko33200", "Anime Princess" and "logoon childe". I am so happy that you are now getting to a number where it's starting to get hard to mention all of you!**

 **Some of you were disappointed with the fact that I stuck to cannon and made the rebellion happen, when Heddara had the knowledge that Lyanna was probably not kidnapped. What most people forget in stories pre-cannon is that the rebellion didn't happen just because of Lyanna's disappearance. In fact, the rebellion only took off after Aerys killed Rickard and Brandon Stark and sent a letter to Jon Arryn asking for Ned's and Robert's heads. _That_ , is what kick started the rebellion. In fact, the first one to raise his banners was Jon Arryn himself, in defense of his charges.**

 **In my opinion, the real pivotal point in starting the rebellion is not Lyanna running off, but Brandon going off to the Red Keep furious at Rhaegar and shouting for his death. To stop the rebellion, I would have to stop Brandon from doing that, and honestly, I don't know how Heddara would have been able to do it, considering Brandon's impulsiveness and rashness.**

 **On the other hand, I want the rebellion to happen. I need the political unrest that comes with a rebellion like that, and I need the Targaryen dynasty off the throne to be able to take my story where I want it to go.**

 **And after this lengthy explanation, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter Six (Age 18-19)

VI

"That lizard King thinks he can kill our Lord and his heir and we will just roll over and show our belies?! AH!" Greatjon Umber shouted in rage, bringing his huge fist down on the table of the great hall, were the collective of the Northern Lords and heirs were meeting. "I say we show them that the North remembers!"

A roar of approval passed through the table, as the various Lords shouted their thirst for blood and war.

At the head of the table sat Benjen and Heddara, in their roles of rulers of the North – one as a Lord, the other as a regent. Whistling loudly, Heddara brought the Lords attention back to them.

"So we are agreed that we will march for war." Heddara stated, gaining the agreeing shouts of all the Lords present. "We have received ravens from Lord Robert Baratheon and his foster father, Lord Jon Arryn. The King sent a letter to Lord Arryn asking for Robert's head. They too intend to march to war, against this decree of the King, and the slight made to house Baratheon due to what he his calling 'bride steeling'." She sneered at the name, before taking a deep breath to keep going. "Whether or not Robert Baratheon as the right to be so offended, I care not. I know not if my sister fled or was taken by force, there were no letters before, nor after her disappearance. Regardless, the Prince himself was a craven for taking her from her home the way he did. There were no letters to my father asking him to break the betrothal to Robert. And considering it was a Prince asking it, he most certainly would have."

She looked around the room, making sure she held everyone's attention. "We will align with the Stormlands and the Vale. We must also entice the Riverlands to our cause. Considering that Catelyn Tully was poised to marry my brother, it might be possible to reach them."

The Lords murmured their agreement or nodded, accepting the idea as sound.

Seeing this, Heddara nodded to her brother, who pointed to the map of Westeros, previously pinned to the wall behind them.

"Heddara will lead the host to Moat Cailin, and from there down to Riverrun, to treat with the Tullys."

Whispers and grumbles went around the table.

"My young Lord, I understand that you must remain here, as the Stark in Winterfell, but the idea of your sister leading the host is quite ludicrous." Rickard Karstark said, in a patronizing tone.

Greatjon chuckled "And you think it should be you, do you? You great prick!" he sneered. "Lady Heddara is a fine warrior. Saved my life from a wildling, she did. There is no finer Commander to follow." Sending a smirk on her direction, he added. "The Heda will show those southern pussies how to make war! HEDA!"

More cries of 'Heda' and Storm jumping up, his enormous head hovering above her own, and all cries of dissent were silenced.

"We will treat with Lord Tully and parley with Baratheon and Arryn. Then we will decide our next course of action." Heddara stated. "For now, let us break for supper."

* * *

Rohar looked out across the courtyard of Winterfell. The discussions on strategy had ended for the night, and Rohar had now found a few precious minutes to speak to Heddara.

"How are you holding up, Dara" He asked, holding her hand in his.

"Things are..." She sighed. "There was a time for tears. And although it still hurts, planning a war is a good way of finding release."

They stayed silent for a time, simply looking at the stars.

"Rohar... I will understand if you no longer wish to marry me. I am regent for my brother now, and the commitment..."

He didn't let her finish. He let go of her hands and took a gentle hold of each side of her face. "I'll marry you, even if I have to wait ten years, do you understand? Dara, your more dear to me than anyone else. I'll wait as long as it's needed."

She nodded, eyes misty, and he brought her into his arms, holding her tight.

"If you would be agreeable..." She hesitated.

"Tell me." He prompted gently, brushing a few hairs, that had escaped her braid, behind her ear.

"My unmarried state might be used against me in the south, as bartering for alliances." He felt himself become furious at the notion. "I wouldn't mind becoming betrothed now, to avoid that." She said, looking up at him, uncertain of how he would respond.

He laughed, happy, and brought her in for a chaste kiss on the lips, that made her blush. "Nothing would make me happier" He said, a possessive hand caressing her cheek. "The thought of losing you to some southern ponce makes me mad as hell." He admitted.

She laughed in relief.

"There is something else though, Dara." Rohar said. "Your brother and I talked privately yesterday." His serious eyes bored into hers. "He is considering abdicating in your favor."

She gasped. "What!? Tell me everything!"

 _"I want the adventure and the excitement of the watch. The ranging in the land beyond the wall. I've always said it. It's all I've always wanted." Benjen sighed, looking out of the Solar's window. "I don't know how to rule. Father never taught me. But Heda does. She attended Brandon's lessons before going to Bear Island, and once there she also shared lessons with Maege and Jeor Mormont."_

 _He turned around and looked at Rohar who stood behind him._

 _"You want to abdicate." Rohar stated. The boy nodded._

 _"She was born to rule." Benjen said. "There are only two problems. The other Lords acceptance of the matter, and your betrothal."_

 _Rohar's face was set in stone, eyes serious, mouth thin. "I will not give her up. I will strike down my own name and become a Stark if need be. Take the role of a consort, before losing her."_

 _Benjen smiled. "I thought you might say that. I could see your feelings in your eyes even before we reached Harrenhall." He crossed his arms over his chest. "The Lords won't be so easy to persuade."_

 _Rohar nodded. "I will take care of them, if you decide to go through with it."_

 _Benjen scoffed. "My decision is made. If the Old Gods are good and Heddara comes back from this war, she will be the Warden of the North. And you her consort."_

Heddara felt a tear slide down her face. "You would give up your name? For me?" Her voice came out a whisper. "Rohar, what are you thinking!"

"I'm thinking that I don't want to live without you! That seeing you marry someone else would make me go mad." He caressed her cheek, before planting another kiss on her lips. "It's completely selfish on my part, I can assure you. Besides, I have a brother that can take my place. I can assure you he is nothing but gleeful. House Bolton will not suffer for it."

She frowned, looking up at him. Seeming to come to a decision, she took his hand and started leading him towards the keep.

"We are going to talk to my brother about this. He is too young to just throw it all away for a frozen wall!"

* * *

"Benjen, you would be renouncing your whole inheritance! Please think about this!" Heddara begged her brother, sitting in front of him in the solar. Behind Benjen, Rohar was leaning against the door, letting the two of them talk without interference.

Benjen shook his head, his mouth set in a firm line. "I have thought about it. I have no wish, or even competence to rule. For god's sake Hed, you had to write me that speech I made today!" He sighed. "I know when I'm out of my comfort zone. And it's selfish too. I want adventure. That won't be possible if I stay here as a Lord."

Heddara tugged on her braided hair in worry. "Ben, when you talk about exploring and adventures, you always just mention the land beyond the wall. What about Essos? The free cities, the summer islands? There are so many places you could explore! If you swear yourself to the Watch now, you won't be able to see any of them."

Her brother looked considering. "Everyone already knows where those places are. But no one truly knows what exists beyond the wall. That's what I want to find out" He explained.

Heddara sighed. "You have time to do that Ben. Years. Why do you want to run for it before even looking around you at all the other amazing and exciting things? Please consider this. The watch is for life."

Benjen sighed but nodded, looking to his left to contemplate a map of the known world.

* * *

"War is approaching and with it come times of sorrow and suffering. But those times are not yet here, so let us celebrate a betrothal that has come after many moons of courtship, between my sister, Heddara Stark, and Lord Rohar Bolton, heir to the Dreadfort!" Benjen announced, bringing forth many rambunctious cheers and laughs.

As the men and women in the hall celebrated, Heddara brought her head close to her brother's. "Are you certain in your choice? You won't be able to take it back once you announce it."

Benjen nodded, sending her a smile. "I am. I will make the announcement we agreed on tomorrow, at the last council. You should be happy. You managed to change my whole speech."

Heddara frowned, before relenting, turning back to her food.

She had not been able to change her brother's mind on giving up his rightful position as Lord of Winterfell, but had been successful in curbing is idea of renouncing immediately.

"It feels wrong to celebrate like this when father and Bran are..." Ben started, before stopping and shaking his head.

She put her and in his arm and gave him a gentle smile. "I understand. But they needed this before going off to risk their lives" She said, pointing down at the reveling soldiers.

She turned back to the festivities, bringing her cup of wine to her lips. On her other side, Rohar was speaking lowly with his brother, and Heddara couldn't help but think what Roose thought of his possible elevation to Lord status.

"Hey, are you alright?" Her betrothed asked. "You looked like you were very far away."

She sent him a smile. "I was thinking of the council tomorrow. The things that will be said cannot be taken back lightly."

He nodded. "It is my choice Heddara. I am certain." He smiled at her. "If you worry for your ability to rule, there is nothing to fear. You were born for it."

She frowned. "But so were you!" She whispered back to him. How could he not understand the guilt that raged her, thinking of what he was giving up.

"No." He said, taking her hand. "I was born to rule by your side. To be your counsel and your shield. There is a small difference." He said, with a kiss to her hand.

Below them, some men cheered at the gesture.

"What do your father and brother think?" She asked, nervous for his answer.

He chuckled. "Fear not. My father is only interested in the fact that his legacy will live on to become Lords of Winterfell. My brother is also interested in that, and in the fact that he will now be a Lord in his own right. Something that he never thought possible without me dying."

She let out a breath in relief, glad that at least someone was happy with the madness that was her life.

"You never told me what happened to your maester spy." He asked to distract her, keeping her hand captive as he took a sip from his cup.

Heddara pursed her lips, remembering the last time she had seen the man.

"He was spying for his own profit. It didn't take much questioning to having him admit to sending information to Olena Tyrel and even to the Master of Whispers. A little threat of torture and he almost pissed himself." She shook her head in annoyance. "We sent a letter to the Citadel. Considering that we caught him red handed at more than one type of spying, they had nothing good to say of him. They will be sending a new maester, originally from the North as I requested, and taking the traitorous one with them for trial at the Citadel."

Rohar raised his brow, surprised at the information. "They let you request a certain maester? They always say that a maester has no original home."

She chuckled. "We both know that that is not true. And a house may request a specific maester, if they sponsored his time in the Citadel. House Stark sponsored the newly invested maester Luwin, who just forged his last link. He was the third son of one of my father's men, and proved to have a keen mind. My father thought it a good investment to sponsor his education."

Rohar hummed. "A wise decision. Maybe the other houses in the North should consider doing the same."

Some minstrels started to weave a tune, and Rohar stood up, asking her to dance.

"We might not get the chance to do it again. Let's enjoy it while we can."

A sudden image of Rohar's face, bloodless and unseeing, had her grip his hand tighter, as she followed him to the floor.

* * *

The Northern Lords were once more sitting around the big table in the Hall, for the last council before their departure south. Outside the keep, the last preparations were taking place, in order to make sure that every man and horse had all the necessary equipment.

"All our plans are made, why are we here Lady Heddara, Lord Benjen?" Lord Dustin asked.

"I have a few more important announcements to make." Benjen said, rising from his seat.

The Lord's present stood at attention.

"Everyone present here knows that I always intended to join the nights watch. It was my dream and ambition." He looked around the room, receiving nods from various men.

"At this moment, I am the heir of Winterfell. But I was not born for it, not thought to do it. My sister was. She sat beside Brandon as he had his lessons and later, in Bear Island, she shared her lessons with Jeor and Maege Mormont." Some people shifted in their seats unsure of where the conversation was headed. "What I want to tell you today, is that I believe my sister to be the better choice to rule the North. With her, a good leadership would be assured and the Stark name would continue."

The dam broke and the Lords started to speak over each other, some in protest, others simply in incredulity. Benjen raised his hand and asked for silence, and the men eventually calmed down.

"I am not saying that I will step down right now. What I am doing is asking you all to consider my sister, Heddara Stark, as a possible future Warden of the North. When this mess of a war is finally over, we will hold a vote and you will decide which of us you consider the best possible ruler. If I am chosen, I will do my duty, and become Warden of the North. If I am not, then I shall vow to never marry or sire children." He looked around the faces of the men before adding "And let me just tell you that this was not my sister's idea. It was all me. I would vow here and now to join the Nights Watch, but my sister has convinced me to hold that promise until I am older."

The Lords murmured between them, discussing the proposal, before Lord Karstark rose to address what many believed to be the most important issue.

"You put your sister's name forward as Warden of the North, but just yesterday you betrothed her to Rohar Bolton, the heir to the Dreadfort! That would make her a Bolton wife, and so not capable of being Lady of Winterfell." The Lord looked around, and seeing many nod their heads, he felt emboldened to continue. "If we were to vote on such scenario, then your sister's betrothal would have to be broken."

Lord Karstark was probably hopping that with the betrothal broken, in case that Heddara was chosen, his own second and third sons would be given the chance to become her consort. So were all the other Lords now raising their voices in agreement.

Benjen nodded "You are correct in your assessment my Lord, but I have already spoken to Lord Bolton and his heir on this issue. Lord Bolton, if you would like to explain."

The aging Lord rose from his seat, nodding to the other Lords in greeting. "Rohar as decided that, if Heddara Stark is backed as Lady of Winterfell then, on the day of their marriage, he shall forsake his inheritance and his own name before the heart tree, and take her name as his own, becoming Rohar Stark. He will be consort and shield to the Warden of the North. My youngest son would then become Lord of the Dreadfort."

Murmurs broke down across the table. To renounce one's inheritance was very rare. It had happened only in occasions of joining the Nights Watch, forced exile or in the case of first born twins.

"Lady Heddara, do you accept these conditions?" Greatjon Umber asked.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "I have tried to stop the both of them, but both Rohar and Benjen keep reminding me that it is their choice to make. As Benjen said, I have convinced him not to join the Watch before he reaches his twentieth name day. But I have not been able to talk any more sense into them." She sighed. "I will accept the vote of this council, whenever they wish to make it."

"I say we accept these conditions then. I have fought beside Rohar Bolton on many occasions. The lad is a good, honorable sort. And he is completely besotted by the Heda. He will make a good consort, if it comes to that."

The "Ayes" went around the room, and the issue was closed.

"One last thing." Benjen added, as the Lords were preparing themselves to rise from their seats. "If at any time during the war you believe that Heddara should assume the position of Lady of Winterfell, then hold your vote. You already know my opinion on the matter, and where my own vote will fall on."

* * *

 **Something else on the topic of the rebellion: it could have easily been avoided had Rhaegar decided to ask Rickard Stark for Lyanna's hand. He was the heir to the throne. His father was the King, an authoritarian King in fact. Breaking Lyanna's betrothal would have been the easiest thing in the world! But he didn't. That would mean that he either didn't actually want to marry Lyanna, was an idiot, or that he was as mad as his father.**

 **Now, which one is it...?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite!**

 **Huge thanks to all my reviwers: "Iris D. Peverell", Mr./Ms./Mrs. Guests, "Shae Vizia", "sucuri", "Vulcran Blackfyre", "HPuni101", "Anime Princess", "saku hyuuga", "celinesLineC-Line".**

 **Once again credit to 'Shadiversity' and his channel on YouTube. I learned a lot about medieval armor, swords and fighting styles with his videos! If you're interested please check him out!**

 **Warning: Threat of torture. No actual torture though.**

* * *

Chapter Seven (Age 19)

VII

Riverrun came into sight at midday, a moon and a half after they had left Winterfell. Most of their army had been waiting for the Lords at Moat Cailin, having gone along while they discussed strategies and battle plans, which had saved them a lot of precious time.

She had left the older Lords who would have had a hard time at war in charge of the protection of the North, including the aging Lord Bolton and Lord Tallhart. One could never be too careful when Wildlings and Ironborn could appear without a moment's notice. A special contingent of archers had also been left at Moat Cailin to keep at bay any who would think that attacking the North through the south was a good idea.

Crossing the Twins had been challenging, but a letter from Lord Tully had arrived at the Moat, like they had planned, and made sure she had enough ammunition to force Lord Frey to let them pass, with only needing to take a few of his sons as squires to a few northern Lords to appease him.

Now the true challenge began.

* * *

They sat once more at a big table in a great Hall. Only this Hall belonged to another Lord, and so did most of the men present.

Heddara and her chosen advisors – Lord Umber, Lord Karstark and Rohar himself – sat next to Lord Tully, Lord Arryn and their own advisors. The last news that had arrived placed Baratheon somewhere in the area of Stoney Sept.

The talks had not been going well, as far as Rohar was concerned. Lord Tully had started the meeting by demanding that Lord Arryn marry is daughter Lysa and that both Heddara and Benjen marry his other children. Lord Karstark had not been at all amused at the notion that the North needed to give up two marriages, and that they were to people with such an age difference.

A discussion between the Lord's present had almost escalated into a screaming match, but Heddara had remained calm, and was now trying to make her counter offer.

They had planned for this after all.

"I believe my Lord Tully, that you do not have in your possession all the necessary information to make such a proposal" She said calmly. "I happen to be already betrothed to Lord Bolton, here present, as was my father's wish and promise." He nodded to the man to show is accent. "As for my brother Benjen, he is only three and ten, and beside your daughter they would make quite the humorous pair."

"What!" Lord Tully exclaimed, sounding offended.

"I meant no offense my Lord, but my brother would reach your daughter's elbow. I find it hard to believe she would be pleased with such arrangement." She waved her hand as if to flip away the issue. "It would be much better to arrange a betrothal between Lady Catelyn and Lord Robert's brother Stannis, and Lady Lysa and Lord Arryn's heir Elbert Arryn."

It was a chance of fate that had made Elbert Arryn's horse lose its shoe while he was accompanying Brandon to King's Landing. It had meant that Brandon had left the other young man behind with half his guards, while continuing alone in his folly against the mad King. Elbert's survival would now be a boon for house Stark, since it allowed them to keep Tully's power-hungry hands away from the North.

A Tully bannerman rubbed his shin. "I have heard Lord Baratheon describe his brother as a sour faced, boorish man. I doubt the lady would be impressed."

Rohar fisted his hand, trying not to throttle the idiot. "A sour faced, boorish man who is currently the heir to the Stormlands. Considering the current quest, it is very possible is statute may be elevated. And he is apparently skilled enough that Lord Robert left him in charge of the Stormlands and is even now facing a siege admirably." Rohar said, raising his brow. "The Vale is connected to the Stormlands through fostering. The Stormlands is connected to the North through Lady Lyanna's and Lord Robert's betrothal. It would be a good idea to connect the Riverlands to both the Vale and the Stormlands through marriage to its current heirs.

Lord Tully's eyes shifted from him to Heddara, and then to Arryn, who narrowed his eyes at his words.

"You may come to a preliminary agreement, but it must wait for Robert's approval towards his brother's marriage." Arryn said. He did not sound happy to be giving his own heir's hand away.

Tully nodded, seemingly pleased with the arrangement. He looked at him from the corner of his eye as he and Arryn discussed the last details. Rohar wandered if the older man had understood his offhanded comment about Robert Baratheon's possible demise, considering the current war, which would make Stannis the Lord of the Stormlands.

"Well," Heddara said, once the details had been hammered out. "Should some lads from the Riverlands squire for northern Lord's? We should strive for an amicable environment between lands after all."

Lord Tully's advisors immediately pounced on the idea, completely forgetting the previous betrothal proposals.

* * *

The two armies moved out of the great keep together, after Jon Arryn had weaseled his way out of marrying Lysa Tully to his nephew immediately.

A few weeks of marching later and the northern host separated from the rest of the army. Plans had been reformed after a scout – that was truly Heddara warging into Haros – delivered new information about the enemies' numbers and positions.

The reach had sent most of their men to siege Storms End, while Jon Connington had rallied the forces in the crownlands to search for Robert, and had him stuck in the Stoney Sept, at the mercy of the inhabitant's good will.

While Lord Arryn attacked the village through the west, Lord Tully would come through the north and the northern forces through the east.

Or at least that had been the initial plan. Lord Tully had had to divide his forces at Acorn Hall, in order to deal with a few loyalist Lords that were trying to stop their liege Lord from joining the rebellion. The remaining Tully men had joined the Northern contingent, which brought into question Heddara's leadership.

Rohar was now getting used to the feelings of arousal that emerged in him at the sight of Heddara asserting her dominance over men older and more experience than her, fighting for her right to lead her own soldiers.

In the end, Tully and his Lords had relented to the fact that they led the smaller force, and therefore a Northerner should be leading the host. The fact that the Northern Lords stood behind Heddara had assured her position, and Storm's gigantic teeth had also certainly helped.

* * *

For Heddara, the unrelenting ringing of the Sept bells was an unwelcomed distraction. They muffled the sounds of the battle and of the approaching men, leading many to be taken by surprise as they turned corners or passed by an alley.

There were enemies on the roofs also, and she and Rohar had already saved Denys Arryn from being skewered by Jon Connigton, when the Hand of the King had jumped down almost on top of the other man.

The three of them, along with Storm, had been facing off against Connington and his most loyal men, and were unfortunately outnumbered, when Howland, using his cragnomen stealth, suddenly appeared from around a barrel, tripping one of the enemies and stabbing him in the neck between his chest plate and his helm.

Howland immediately got to his feet, unsheathing his sword and moving to engage one of Connington's men, a knight from the crownlands that Heddara did not know the name of.

Hearing something from her left that wasn't a bloody bell, she turned, only to curse under her breath.

"Rohar! Down!" Her betrothed ducked as he parried a strike from Connington and Heddara slashed at the man that had tried to sneak behind him. The man's crude armor ensured that he went down and stayed that way, allowing Heddara and Rohar to regroup and better position themselves in order to protect each other if needed.

Confident in her companion's abilities to fend for themselves, now that the numbers were even, Heddara focused solely on Connington, as Rohar moved to engage another man.

Connigton, like most men used a longsword. The difference was that his was a very long one, bordering on the greatsword category even, which made him a difficult opponent due to the height of the thing. She used a bastard sword, easier to maneuver considering the difference in her height when compared to that of a man. It was also easier to fight with one hand if she wanted, which allowed her to pick up her dagger from her belt and use it to poke holes in her enemy's armor when they were distracted, unlike those who wielded two handed blades, who had to first unarm their opponents or immobilize them.

Fighting armored enemies was very different from fighting wildlings who only wore pelts, or at best a sort of gambeson. Even swords couldn't penetrate plate armor, though they certainly left bruises and cracked bones if the strike was strong enough. If one wanted to inflict a killing wound they had to be careful were they aimed.

Parrying another strike from her adversary with her sword, she pressed forward, making him move his sword down to force her own out of his chest and head immediate area. That was just what she needed. Extending her left hand, her dagger had just enough reach to hit him in the shoulder, neatly slipping in the armor's weak point between the chest and shoulder plates. He stumbled away, the dagger still in place, cursing and looking at her with narrowed ayes through his helm.

The southern knights may sneer at the use of daggers during combat, but in the North, there was nothing more important than survival. Most northern soldiers preferred a style of combat that used an arming sword in conjunction with a shield and dagger. She enjoyed that style herself, but found that when fighting knights that wielded longer blades, the bastard sword was a better fit. It was also lighter, making her faster on her feet, which helped with her surprise attacks.

Following her enemy's movement, she put both hands on the hilt of the sword and swung it to hack him in the helm. It protected his head from being torn open, as it was made to do, but did nothing to soften the blow, making him dizzy.

She grabbed the blade of her sword with her left hand and kept her right on the hilt, half-swording to try to hit the man on his armor gaps near the neck or through his eyes slit, and finish him of, when she heard steps approaching, just before she was intercepted by another knight.

Caught off guard, she would have been an easy target, if not for Storm jumping up on the man and closing his teeth around his sword hand, ripping through the week wrist plate armor joints like butter. The man screamed, clutching his bleeding stump to his chest.

Now that she thought of it, she had been hearing too well during the batle, considering the noise the bells were making. Could Storm be the reason for it? Was she unknowingly warging to make up for her lower senses?

More of Connigton's men had arrived at the scene, coming from other streets, but so had more of hers. Form behind her Rohar had finished off his opponent, rising to join her, and Howland was now helping Denys with his, when Rickard Karstark came from behind and slammed his shield against his head, knocking him out.

Connington was trying to get up from where he had fallen lying against a wall, his loyal men protecting him, when Robert Baratheon came out from a building and started slamming his war hammer left and right against heads and shoulders, sending quite a few men to their knees.

Seeing the chaos, one of the enemy lieutenants screamed for a retreat, before ordering two of his men to help drag Connigton away to his horse.

Baratheon didn't seem to be happy that they were leaving, trying to give chase and inciting a few men to join him, but it was soon obvious that Connington would get away.

Running after a younger man with Connington's colors that had fallen behind in the retreat, she rammed her sword against the back of his head, making him fall unconscious. If they were lucky, they would get some useful information out of him.

Hours later, just as the last enemy had been detained and there was no more immediate danger, Rickard Karstark approached her with Greatjon Umber and Lord Glover where she was tying up a couple of enemy knights with Rohar.

"Did Baratheon really just come out of a bloody brothel?" Karstark asked, looking sideways at were Baratheon was loudly boasting of his great batle prowess, even though he had only joined the fray at the last second.

Heddara snorted, not bothering with the fact that her prisoners were right there. "Well, seems like those tales of whoremongering in the Vale were true after all." She said, remembering her sisters complains about the man. If he really 'loved' Lya, and was fighting this war for her honor, he could at least have a more consistent behavior between his actions and his words.

* * *

As Heddara and her fellow Lords came out of the Stoney Sept on top of their horses, to join their men on the camp outside the town, the men from the north soon raised their swords and slammed them against their shields, as cries of "Heda!" were rhythmically chanted along the drum of the swords.

The northern Lords soon joined the chant, while the Vale and Riverlands men looked on confused.

She raised her hand, and the chant died down slowly. "We have won this batle. While the war is not yet won, now it is time to celebrate our achievement and mourn our fallen. Tomorrow we fight once more. And the next day, and the next, until this war is won. For Winter is Coming and the North Remembers!"

Storm sung to the sky as the men shouted their agreement, and went back to chanting her title as she made her way to her tent.

* * *

In the middle of the crowd Roose Bolton smirked in triumph.

He had only needed to suggest to some men to shout out their appreciation of their northern leader when she arrived, and they had happily complied. He hadn't even needed to pay them to do it, since the story of how Heddara Stark had single handedly bested the enemy's leader, Jon Connington, had already gone around in the few hours since the batle had ended.

He had grown up as a second son, and had not expected to have anything to truly call his own. It had grated on him, but he had understood his place. His brother was a man he could respect to stand above him. He was a Bolton after all.

But then his brother had started to spend his time writing letters to the Stark girl, acting like a love-sick puppy, and he had wandered if he wouldn't have been a much better choice as Lord of the Dreadfort, instead of his older Brother. He had even started to consider possible ways to – discreetly, he was no idiot – remove his brother from the succession. There were so many accidents that could befall a man on the road, after all.

Well, that was before Benjen Stark's letter. Now, he had a much different goal in mind, one that included his brother continuing being an idiot in love.

The first step in making Heddara Stark Lady of the North – and himself Lord of the Dreadfort by default – had been accomplished. She had the people and the soldiers respect.

Now he would work on solidifying that and showing the Lords how they should also respect and give her their undying loyalties.

He smirked once more. From the looks they were giving her, it shouldn't prove to be too hard.

He would get the Bolton Lands, and in the same play he would put Bolton blood on the Stark seat.

And maybe, just maybe, he could also convince the Lords to go one step further.

* * *

"What is your name, young man?" Heddara asked, sitting on a stool in front of the high born page she had captured during the batle.

"I am Torlon Horpe of House Horpe! You can't hurt me!" The young man squealed out. "I am much more valuable alive!"

Rohar snorted. "This is war. And you are from a minor house that is currently opposing its Lord Paramount. Does it sound like Lord Baratheon would be very upset at you passing?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

The young man paled.

"Now, thank you for telling us your name, and confirming your status as Jon Connington's page and squire" Heddara said. "As the one closest to him, you must know a lot of information"

Torlon squared his jaw. "I won't tell you anything! You can try to torture me, but it won't work!" He said defiantly.

Heddara hummed. "I wonder..." She looked over at Rohar, making Torlon focus on him. "Do you know who he is?" At the young man's uncomprehending stare, she looked back at her betrothed.

"Rohar Bolton, at your service!" He said, giving a mocking bow.

Torlon Horpe blanched.

"Ah, so you have heard about me! I feel honored!" Rohar mocked.

"You won't scare me!" Torlon screamed out, though his wide eyes betrayed his words.

Heddara tilted her. "Should I fetch your skinning knives?" Her words made the page squirm in his seat, trying to get away from them.

Rohar shook his head, taking his knife from his belt. "Why waste good knives on a lowly, traitorous page?" He said, approaching the bond man.

"What are you doing?" The page screeched in fear, trying to get out of his bonds. "You can't do this!"

Rohar snorted. "I would stay put if I were you. If you move, my hand might slip and take more skin than it intended." He said nonchalant. "Now, hands, arms, or face?"

The page was shaking in fear, his eyes wide in terror,

"Which one is the most painful?" Heddara asked, examining her nails as if the happenings in the tent were an everyday event. "I don't want to wait too long for him to break."

Rohar smiled serenely at the page before him. "Finger joints it is!"

Just as he held the hand of the page firmly, and brushed the tip of his knife against the skin of his little finger, the young man burst into tears.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" He said sobbing, the smell of piss filling the air. "Please don't skin me alive!"

Heddara hid her sigh of relieve. Thank the gods the boy fell for it. The things one did to win a bloody war.

* * *

That night, while Connington's page babbled all of his master's secrets, a few northern soldiers from Bear Island and the Mountain Clans met around a fire with some Bolton men and worked on a new northern flag, that had the rune 'Heda' inscribed at the side of the Stark wolf's head.

A week later, all the Stark banners would be changed to incorporate this new mark.

Five days after that, the Bolton would also add the rune to their banners.

A moon later, after a skirmish against a group of Riverlander loyalists, where once more Heddara proved her strategic and combat prowess, House Umber and Glover also added the rune to their banners.

Two moons later, after Heddara refused to leave Lord Karstark's son and Lord Manderly's cousin behind when their forces were ambushed, and led the men to a daring, but extremely successful rescue, all the other northern houses did the same.

* * *

 **A/N: PLEASE READ! :)**

 **So, two people asked if Jon would be born. I was thinking that he should, because I can't realy imagine the Game of thrones without him. The same for most of the Stark children, even though I know it doesn't make sense for them to be born, since they have diferente parents. It just wouldn't be the same without them. I would give them different ages and looks, of course. But then I remembered that if Jon and Robb are born, they can't have those names, because Heddara is not close enough to the people that inspered them.**

 **I am open to new ideas and opinions!** **Please give a review with your opinion, on whether or not Jon and the other Stark children should exist, and on Jon and Robb's names! After considering your opinions I will open a poll after chapter 8 or 9 for names, if you all think they should exist!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite!**

 **Special thanks to all those who took the time to review: "saku hyuuga", "sucuri", "Alby01", "Vulcran Blackfyre", "Shae Vizia", "Provider of odd things", "CelinesLineC-Line", "ImpSlapFury", "sarah-rose76646", "amata0221", "Anime Princess", "frankir", "Jigoku no Joou" and Mr./Ms./Mrs. Guests.**

* * *

Chapter Eight (Age 20)

VIII

Her name day had come and passed, with only a small celebration in the form of a letter from Benjen, telling her about the state of affairs in the North and wishing her a good twentieth name day, and a walk and a beautiful flower from Rohar. That the walk had ended with them kissing under a willow tree was no one's business but their own.

What had also passed, had been the official betrothal of Catelyn Stark and Stannis Baratheon – who was unfortunately under heavy siege in Storms End, and probably hadn't received the raven telling him about it – and the marriage between Elbert Arryn and Lysa Tully. The close call of Denys Arryn had apparently given enough ammunition to Hoster Tully, to convince the Lord of the Vale that he needed more heirs for his house.

"Rhaegar rides north. The Martels have finally answered the call and have joined him on his way. The Tyrel's are sending some men, but the majority will continue to siege the seat of house Baratheon." Lord Arryn stated during their latest war meeting, reading from a scroll.

Baratheon sent a string of curses against the Tyrels, and Heddara ignored him, focusing on the more important matters.

Robert Baratheon was a very vigorous and energetic man. He talked loudly and gesticulated with his hands when excited about his tales.

He also loved woman. He looked at their breasts and their bottoms, and could barely stop himself from grabbing them. She could easily see what made her sister annoyed with him.

"What about the Lannisters?" She asked Lord Arryn, bringing Robert and the other Lords back to the problem at hand.

Jon Arryn nodded at her, probably happy that someone was focused on the problem they faced.

"The Lannisters are staying put. They are still angry at the insult the King gave them, and won't move for a good while"

Heddara hummed, considering the possibilities.

"Tywin Lannister will probably not move unless he can see a clear winner." Rohar said, putting forth her own thoughts. "He will wait for the result of the battle against Rhaegar, and then choose the more advantageous side."

Murmurs were heard, as the Lord's expressed their agreement.

"Craven cunt" Robert cursed under his breath.

Heddara snorted. "There is nothing craven in that man. Or have you forgotten about 'The rains of Castamere'? No, what he is, is an opportunist." She drummed her fingers on the table. "There is nothing to gain for him right now, when on one side is a mad King who spurned is daughter and stole his son, and on the other are youngsters the same age as his own children. He will wait until he sees something to win."

More grumbles went around the table. Some Lords nodded at her, looking impressed with her deductions.

"Then what do you propose we do for now?" Came Hoster Tully's question, looking at her through narrowed eyes.

She looked at the map of Westeros hanging on the wall, considering the possibilities.

"We will choose were we meet them." She stated looking around the table.

"They say he has forty thousand. Fifteen from the Crownlands, ten from Dorne, nine from the reach and another six from across the Stormlands." She narrowed her eyes, ignoring Baratheon's curses against the Targaryen loyalists in his lands. "Both Lord Arryn and Lord Tully must keep some of their forces in their lands to stifle any sign of Targaryen loyalty that may rise. So, we have seventeen thousand from the North, eight from the Stormlands, seven from the Riverlands and six from the Vale."

She looked at the Lords Paramount sitting at the table for their agreeing nods in terms of their numbers.

Many had been surprised at the numbers the North had brought south. People tended to see the North as a barren wasteland, but they forget that it was as big as the other six Kingdoms combined. Even if keeps were very far away from each other, having been built in the most profitable and prosperous areas, together the number of people living there was still on par with all the other kingdoms, if not higher.

"We are slightly at a disadvantage in numbers, but nothing that will be too noticeable, considering the experience of our soldiers. And we can stretch that advantage further by choosing the terrain."

"What are you thinking of, Lady Stark?" Asked Lord Arryn.

Beside her, she could feel Rohar vibrating in amusement and excitement at seeing her so easily commanding the room. She smiled.

"We make him cross the Trident, and fight him as he climbs up the northern bank."

* * *

"The Prince is dead!" Went down the enemy's lines, as more and more men retreated, trying to go back to the southern bank of the river.

Rohar looked up briefly to make sure Heddara was still uninjured, and seeing her fighting with Storm at her side, he spurned his horse forward, intercepting another fleeing Crownlands man.

"Make sure that Lyn Corbray is not killing Martel while our backs are turned. He is worth too much as a prisoner." He shouted over to his brother.

"And get word out that from now on every man that drops their weapons is to be taken prisoner!" Heddara added, having somehow heard him over the noise of the fight. Maybe she was half warged with Storm again, like she told him had happed at the batle of the bells, and relying on his more sensitive senses.

More men were running. Heddara raised her voice and screamed for mercy to those who laid down their weapons. He joined his voice to hers, and so did other northern men.

Some men decided they had more chances that way, others probably thought they stood a chance at fleeing.

In the end, the northern contingent took many prisoners that night, but also made sure to pursue as many enemies as possible during the next two days.

* * *

"Baratheon is injured, so is Lord Grandison, Lewyn Martel and Ser Barristan." Roose reported, two days after the main battle had ended, when Heddara and Rohar had decided that there were no more men stupid enough to be hiding in immediate riding distance, and it was time to return to the main camp. "Mors Umber lost a son, the other, Maros I believe, was saved by Storm but is also injured. Jonothor Darry is dead."

He paused and pointed over to a part of camp that now sported many Frey flags. "Lord Frey arrived yesterday. Lord Tully was _not_ amused."

Heddara nodded and snorted at the part about the Freys, patting her horse and giving the reins to a squire. She fell into step beside Roose and Rohar, as they made their way to the command tent. "What is being done at this moment" She asked.

"Baratheon was attended by his maester, and ordered the man to tend to Barristan's injuries, against mine and others advice." He said, mater of factly. "Grandison, Umber and Martel are also being seen to. He has been in meetings with Lord Arryn and a few chosen Lords from the other kingdoms in his tent, thought he hasn't called any northern Lord for either council or orders."

She nodded, pleased with the information.

"We need an accurate count of the losses on both sides. And of the number and importance of the prisoners. Can you see to it Roose? I need to find out what they are planning to do now."

After Roose nodded his agreement, Heddara and Rohar finished making their way to the command tent, only to find that it had been moved to Robert Baratheon's own tent.

"I'll burn that dragon spawn Aerys and take his fucking throne!" Came Robert's voice from inside the tent, loud enough to reach them before they even went around the massive thing in order to reach the entrance. Heddara looked wide eyed at Rohar, grabbing his hand so they would wait before turning the corner.

"Well, you are not going anywhere anytime soon, considering your injuries, your grace." Came the voice of who she believed to be Jon Arryn. She turned to Rohar and mouthed 'Your Grace?' to him, noticing that his furious face probably mirrored her own.

She was seething. They had not come all the way south to put another – inexperienced – man on the iron throne. They had come for justice, vengeance. To show that the North wouldn't just roll over and die when a southern King decided he could kill whomever he wanted.

"I will call the Lord's and their Bannerman. They should swear loyalty." Arryn voice came again.

Scowling, she took Rohar's hand and lead him away, back to the northern camp.

"Find Roose. I need our numbers as soon as possible. Then get him and every northern Lord you see to my tent" Rohar nodded, squeezing her hand and rushing of to find his brother.

Grabbing a page from house Glover that was passing by, she ordered him to send a similar message to his Lord and all the other Lords of the North he could reach.

She quickly made her way towards Maege's tent, finding her cleaning her sword outside.

"Maege!" She was relieved to see her friend well and unharmed. She embraced her in a fierce hug, which the other woman copied. "I need a watcher in my tent." She told her lowly.

Maege nodded, sticking her head inside the tent to say something to Jorah, before following her back to her tent.

Three minutes later, Haros was taking flight from a nearby tree.

* * *

Heddara flew over the trident, where the bodies still stained the water red. Below she could see men gathering up the dead for burial or for the funeral pyres that were already being assembled.

Her powerful wings took her over the remains of the battle, and over the fleeing enemy soldiers. They were going south on the kingsroad, no doubt to Kings Landing.

She flew over houses and fields and rivers and valleys and hills, until finally she saw what she had expected to find.

Tiny men, the size of ants, and red and gold flags moving over the blue background of sky and sea.

* * *

She came back to herself, after redirecting Haros back to camp, to a tent full of men and the feel Storm's head on her lap, his giant body curled protectively around her.

The tent was silent, but all the northern Lords were in attendance, looking expectantly at her.

By the light – or lack of it – seeping through the tent, and the presence of oil lamps, she could guess that she has flown with Haros for a couple of hours.

No matter, she had gained the information she needed.

"Report" She asked, looking at Rohar and Roose, sitting to her left. No one would have been able to dislodge Maege from standing to her right when she was guarding her.

"Jon Arryn has been asking for several Lord's from the Stormlands and the Vale to come to his tent for the last few hours. No northern Lords have been called, and that includes you, my lady." Roose stated, with a frown.

"As to our losses. The Vale and the Stormlands lost about two thousand each. The Riverlands fifteen hundred. We lost a bit less than two thousand five hundred." He nodded to himself, as if counting in his head. "We have about five and ten Noble prisoners, counting Lewyn Martel, and about two to three hundred others."

Heddara nodded considering.

"What have you found out, Lady Heda, that would make you warg right after battle, and call us in before even waking?" asked Umber, a smirk on his face.

Many of the northern men and Lords had taken to calling her that, taking a perverse amusement in their southern counterpart's confusion over the name.

She looked over at Rohar, who nodded "I put up loyal guards around the perimeter. No one will be hearing what they shouldn't."

Convinced now that it was safe to talk, she took a deep breath, looking around at the faces of her loyal men.

"Baratheon is lusting for the Iron Throne, and is calling in his Lord's to swear fealty." She stated, rubbing her hand over Storm's fur.

Murmurs and shouts of disagreement and protest were heard.

"I was warging to try to search for any possible treats nearby that would allow us to leave camp while we decide on our next course of action." She stated, gently dislodging Storm so she could get up. "I had wondered if news of our victory had already spread, and if so, if they would be enough to get that old lion out of his den. I was right. The Westerlands army just started marching, they are heading towards Kings Landing."

More murmurs and voices raised as the Lord's commented the news.

"Baratheon is injured, and the Vale and Riverlands hosts would never be able to face the westerlands." Lord Karstark said. "You wish for the North to ride to King's Landing ahead, and take the city."

Heddara nodded. "Whoever takes that city will decide the rest of this war."

* * *

Leaving camp with the Northern host, without swearing or otherwise committing to anything had been surprisingly easy. It had simply taken a hurried meeting about receiving word from down west about Tywin Lannister's movements, and Baratheon and Arryn had forgotten about the issue.

It helped that they had probably been leaving the swearing of the Northern Lord's for last, wanting the solid support of the Vale, Stormlands and Riverlands to pressure the North into folding if needed.

Rohar honestly thought they had been too hasty. Their excitement had made them sloppy to a point were even if he and Heddara had not overheard the conversation between the two Lords, they would have eventually become suspicious. As it was, since they did overhear that talk, they had been able to take preemptive measures.

The North had come down as a response to the death of Lord Rickard and Brandon Stark. And because the mad King had not been happy with just those deaths, demanding that Benjen went south. Heddara had spoken, and all Northern Lords agreed, of killing Rhaegar and Aerys, and putting someone trustworthy as regent for Rhaegar's children. Someone that would make sure they were educated to never follow in their ancestor's footsteps. Starting with those dammed sibling marriages.

But now things were changing. Baratheon wanted the throne, which made Heddara want nothing to do with him. With reason. The man was a good warrior, and a charismatic leader in the battlefield – Rohar was man enough to admit that – but he was not an overly bright strategist or thinker. He had no idea of the financial cost of war, or how it truly affected the smallfolk.

Him, as a King? The finances of the realm would surely suffer a quick death.

There was also something else that chafed at his Northern pride at the idea of a Baratheon King. Something that looking around the field tent were all the Northern Lords were meeting, he could see was shared amongst all of them.

They had been riding towards the capital for three days, and every night had been filled with battle plans and ideas for sieges. What would happen if they arrived after the Lannisters, what would happen if they got there before them. Would the Lannisters join them as the most likely winners of the war, or oppose them, to hold their help over the King?

This evening, however, the talk had gone back towards Robert Baratheon's plans to take the crown. And Greatjon Umber was not at all shy about expressing his feelings on the matter. Feelings that were echoed in himself and, he believed, Heddara also.

"I don't care what that boy wants! It is not right at all. We didn't bleed and die for that fucking piece of rusted metal they call a throne!" Is voice rang out, as he stood furious in the tent. Behind him, his uncle Mors nodded gruffly, probably recalling his own lost son.

"He does have a claim through his grandmother" Lord Ryswell said, sounding unsure on what they should do next.

Greatjon spit in the ground to show how much he thought that was worth. Several other Lords seemed to agree with it.

"You know what I think? Here is what I say to these two kings! Robert Baratheon is nothing to me, nor are these Targaryen babes. Why should they rule over me and mine, from some flowery seat in the Stormlands or King's Landing? What do they know of the Wall, or the wolfswood or the barrows of the First Men? Even their gods are wrong. Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? It was the dragons we married, and the dragons are all dead! There sits the only person I mean to bow my knee to, m'lords. The Queen in the North!"

The lords around them were quick to shout in agreement, their voices raising over each other to make their opinions known.

Rohar kept his smile to himself, briefly exchanging glances with his brother. Things could not be going better. The Boltons were certainly an independentist family, and as soon as the opportunity had arisen, Roose had pounced on the chance that not only would the future leaders of the North be half Boltons, they would also be Kings and Queens. Rohar had known that his brother had been subtly feeling out the other Lords and planting the seeds that would grow into rebellion against the Iron throne, but he had decided to not have anything to do with it. His choice was Dara, and it would still be whether she was Queen, Lady Paramount or just Lady Bolton.

Though he would be lying if he said that the title of King Consort did not please him.

He looked at Heddara beside him, and was relieved to see her calm, yet contemplating, her chin supported by her hand as she looked around the tent. He knew she had never held any ambition towards a powerful position such as lady paramount, but had slowly started to come to accept it as the days passed and she became used to deal with the Lords and understood what it took to be a leader. Now those same Lords who had first mocked her, wanted to crown her as queen, and she must be feeling pressured to keep up with these changes.

He was not surprised that no one was against a possible independence. There was no love lost for the last few Targaryen kings, and there was no incentive to support Baratheon's claim.

"We still must vote on who is to become Lord of the North, so we should be crowning Lord Benjen!" Someone's shout came through the noise.

Greatjon huffed, before grinning at him and Heddara. "Then let us vote right here. Lord Benjen is a good lad, but his heart is in the adventures of travel, in the Watch. Nothing wrong with it, I say. But there is no reason to force him to sit down at Winterfell for the rest of his life when we have a more than perfectly good Queen right in front of us!"

"Aye! I agree. We have a true and tested commander who would make a more than good Queen. And then we have a reluctant lad." Lord Karstark said, nodding at Heddara.

Heddara sighed, looking at him briefly. He nodded, showing his support in whatever she decided to do.

"I gave my brother my word that I would allow you all to vote whenever you thought was convenient. So, if no one disagrees, we can hold a vote right now." She stated finally her hand rubbing Storms head. Greatjon let out a triumphant hoop and clapped his hands, but Heddara held out her hand, to stop the celebrations. "I didn't come down south to become a queen. I came to avenge my father and brother, and stop their murderer from continuing his mad rule. Should I become a Queen? Should the North seek independence? That is not something I can decide lightly. We will first vote, and then I will hear your council."

Lord Karstark and Greatjon Umber were quick to set up a voting system and Heddara Stark was unanimously chosen as Lady of the North.

* * *

She came to him later, after the council was over and he had seen to the changing of the guards. With Storm by her side, as always, and the moon behind her, she made a striking figure that reminded him of the first time he had seen her, almost two years ago.

"Are you certain about this, Rohar?" She asked. "You will never be able to take back that oath without being called a craven and oath breaker."

Rohar smiled. Just after Heddara had knelt down on the tent to swear her oath as Lady of the North before the council of Lords, he had bent down on one knee himself, to swear his own oath.

The moment they returned to the North he would kneel down before a heart tree and renounce his lands, his family name and his titles. He swore never to take the northern crown, nor to seek its power. He would no longer be Rohar Bolton, but become Rohar Stark, consort, advisor and protector.

It was not something that was usually done. When a woman married, she kept her own name most times. Elia Martel had still been Elia Martel after marrying Rhaegar Targaryen. And she had still been in line to the Dornish throne and all other inheritances.

The problem was that Rohar was heir to the Bolton family. He was to be a Lord in his own right, and him marrying Heddara in those circumstances would not be acceptable by the other Lords. They would mistrust him because of his power and could accuse her of favoritism towards the Boltons. They could even accuse her of being a puppet for his family.

And then there was the matter of children. If he was a Bolton and Heddara a Stark, their children would be Boltons, not Starks, which would mean the end of the Stark family. And Heddara could not allow that to happen.

There was not a question in his mind about what he should do.

"I am certain, Dara" Reaching for her hand, he pulled her closer so he could wrap his arms around her. She easily responded, relaxing into him as only two people who had come to trust each other completely could. "Between my lands and name, and being able to marry you, there is no choice at all. It will always be you."

She smiled at him, a mix of guilt, relief and contentment in her eyes. "I love you." She whispered.

His heart leapt to his throat, and he was barely able to reply, "I love you too." Before bringing her closer for a hungry kiss.

* * *

 **A/N: READ PLEASE!**

 **So, I got a lot of different opinions about names, but pretty much everyone wants Jon to exist.**

 **Poll for Jon and Robb's names is now open! Check it out and give your opinion! It will be open until next Sunday/Monday, when you can expect chapter 10 to come out. I couldn't figure out how to have two polls open at the same time on the profile page, so I had to put everything in the same one. I hope it's not too confusing!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story: "ATP", "Ai102", "lagoon childe", "dmorrighan", "Marvelmyra", "derderxp2", "ZeroNu"** **and Mr./Ms./Mrs. Guests.**

 **Some people seemed to be confused, asking where Ned was. Weeell... if you read the summary you will realize that this is a Fem Ned story, which means that Eddard (Ned) Stark was born Heddara Stark. Heddara = Eddard.**

 **This was originally a long chapter, when compared to the other ones, so I split it in two! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Nine (Age 20)

IX

"At this pace we will never make it to King's Landing before the Lannisters." Heddara stated from atop her horse. "Do you think the men could pull out a miracle and be able to march during the night, if we give them a few hours of rest?"

To her right Rohar shook his head, a movement copied by Greatjon and Lord Karstark.

"They could, but then they wouldn't be worth a thing in the battlefield" Came Maege's voice from her left.

Heddara nodded, bringing her hand up to swipe her fallen braid over her shoulder. That was what she expected.

"We must push them an hour and a half more each day. I scouted this evening. Even with a longer march the Lannisters will still beat us to the city by a few hours." Her men, and woman, nodded, before galloping away to distribute her orders.

Looking at the column Heddara set her shoulders back. Everything was coming to a head.

Last week the Lords had voted and she had been sworn in as Lady Paramount of the North. The discussion that followed had included all the possible drawbacks and consequences of staying and leaving the seven kingdoms. In the end, they had agreed that the final decision should be taken when the state of the crown was known. There were just too many variables to take in to account at this moment.

Heddara understood the Lords thirst for independence. Less than three hundred years under the rule of a foreign king was nothing when compared to millennia of independence. However, they could not simply announce their independence and hope for the best. The North's economy was too entrenched in the other kingdoms, and being denied access to goods from the rest of Westeros out of spite was a real possibility.

The only good thing out of this mess was the fact that, no matter what the Stark words were, spring had finally come and winter would not bother them for the next few years.

* * *

Even with the harshest march she dared to put her men under, the Lannisters beat them to the capital, like Heddara feared.

Smoke was already rising from the gates and the slum districts, the smell joining the usual stench that the city was known for.

Quickly giving her orders, she rode ahead with the small guard that had formed around her, composed of Rohar, Maege, Howland, Ethan Glover and William Dustin.

Seeing the Stark flag, the Lannister soldiers controlling the gates were quick to let them pass unperturbed, shouts of glee and bloodlust accompanying them.

Heddara did her best to ignore the fighting going on in the streets, and the looting and rape that was no doubt happening. Making sure no atrocities happened was now the job of the northern army coming into the city behind her. She and her companions had their own mission to accomplish.

Tywin Lannister was seemingly focused on taking control of the city, but she had no doubts that he had already sent men to take the Red Keep.

Her fears proved true when they found little opposition in the guard towers of the gates leading into the keep, nor in the courtyard or the gardens. They quickly made their way towards the throne room, following Rohar, the only of them who had been in the Keep before.

Two men in strange robes lay dead just outside the doors, making them suspicious of what awaited them inside, but the sight that greeted them was still unexpected. So much so that the four of them came to a stop at the entrance to the great throne room with its looming Dragon skeletons.

With her hand on her sword, Heddara advanced, looking around for possible enemies. She let her consciousness slowly meld with Storms, who faithfully stepped beside her as her companions covered her back and guarded the door.

"What are you doing, Ser Jaime?" She asked the man calmly.

The olden haired man snorted, languishing on the ugly throne. "Why, I am enjoying the view. Your horrified faces at all the royal blood spilled is quite entertaining." He said, shrugging and trying to appear nonchalant.

Heddara was not fooled in the slightest. "Oh, spare me the theatrics, Jaime Lannister." She said sneering at him. In truth she was a bit angry that she had been denied the revenge her soul screamed for, but a dead Aerys was still a victory. She vindictively stepped over him on her way up the steps, relishing in the sound of her foot over his bloody chest. "I am not one of your southern virtuous and pious saints. I care not for the mad king. In fact, I personally care not that you killed him. Your only sin was waiting until now to do it." She sneered.

The kingsguard flinched and Heddara internally rejoiced at his discomfort. This man in front of her had seen her father and brother die and had said nothing, done nothing. For that she would always resent him.

"Where is the rest of the royal family?" She asked him. The only reason they had come into the throne room was because it was the only part of the keep that Rohar remembered from his brief visit when he had been squiring for house Royce in the Vale. They needed a guide to take them to the royal chambers, so they could make sure of the safety of Elia Martel and her children.

"What?" The man asked, shaking his head in incomprehension.

Heddara sneered again. Behind her she could hear Maege huff in exasperation. "You broke your vows when you killed a mad king. Are you shitting on them too by leaving the royal children unprotected on top of it? You do realize that your father has a reputation as a ruthless lineage killer, right?"

Jaime Lannister startled, before cursing and rising, immediately breaking into a run towards the inside of the keep.

They wasted no time in following after him.

* * *

Once more they were too late.

Elia Martel and her babes had already been slaughtered when they finally arrived at their chambers, though they had not been left completely unavenged.

The sight of the bloody bastard Clegane rutting against the lifeless body of the Martel princess had proved too much for Heddara's temper, and she had immediately gifted him with a shorter body. A head shorter, in fact.

The other men responsible for the atrocities had been rounded up and taken as prisoners of the Northern army, to await trial.

Rohar smirked as he followed Heddara towards the kingsguard rooms in the red keep. Tywin Lannister had not been pleased, protesting about his dead knight and his imprisoned men, but Heddara had remained headstrong. She had led the Northern host to take control of the city, stopping the Lannister soldiers from looting and pillaging as they wished. It had made them unpopular with the westerlanders, but immensely so with the people of the city. And it had given Heddara the power to decide that the men that had killed the royal family would be kept under guard until the rest of the rebel army leaders arrived in the city. Which considering the raven they received from Robert Baratheon in response to their victory, could be any day now.

And with Robert Baratheon would come Lewyn Martel and Barristan Selmy. How those two would react to the fate of the royal family, was anyone's guess, though he would bet that the Martel man would be rightfully enraged at the death of his niece.

The servant boy standing at the door that led to the kingsguard chambers stammered in greeting when he saw them, bowing down and almost falling in his haste to seem useful. Heddara gave him a small smile and simply told him who they were there to see, before passing the boy towards the only room in use and knocking.

Not deigning to wait for a response, Rohar opened the door and went in first, in case there was an unexpected danger on the other side – or in case the man inside was not decent. Seeing that everything was in order, he stepped aside to let his betrothed come inside.

"Well, well, to what do I ow this illustrious visit? If one man was not enough for you, you needed only ask!" Jaime Lannister mocked, from where he sat in his bead polishing his sword.

Rohar gritted his teeth, but managed to keep his face blank. "Watch that tongue if you want to keep it."

The Lannister shook his head, making reprimanding sounds with his tongue. "Your guard dog is misbehaving Lady Stark. You should punish him." He leered at Heddara.

It took all of Rohar's skill and experience to keep his face as neutral as possible. He knew that the Lannister was only trying to bait him, but damn was it hard to keep his cool when someone was attacking the woman he loved in such a way.

He was immensely proud when, in response to the man's taunts, Heddara simply sat herself in the only chair in the room and brought her sword to rest in her lap, almost mirroring the man's position.

"I don't have a dog. I have a wolf however, who would gladly show how well he behaves if only he would fit in the door." She said with a smile, causing the man to blanch at the memory of the giant direwolf. "Now Rohar, on the other had could skin you up for me." She looked up and down the Lannister man. "What do you think my love, would a Lannister skin look good as a wedding decoration, or is it too garish?"

Rohar laughed at the joke, and at the other man's suddenly white face. "My father would love it."

"What do you want?" The Lannister asked, going back to his sword.

"I want to know why now:" She stated simply. The Lannister was obviously trying to be difficult, for he raised an eyebrow in mock misunderstanding. "Why wait until now to kill the bloody mad king! The others take you and your meaningless vows. The man was hanging people and cutting of hands of perceived thief's and you did nothing. He started burning imaginary enemies that everyone knew were innocent and you did nothing. He burned my father to death after he asked for trial by combat, and chocked my brother, and you did nothing." Rohar had thought that his love and admiration for the woman in front of him could not grow anymore that it already had, but he was wrong. Seeing her there, maintaining her calm in the face of a man that had stood by as her family was murdered made him even more in awe of her strength. "So why now? I don't believe it was just your father's presence in this city, that gave you courage to rebel, no. Someone who stood by in the face of all those atrocities must have had a more profound reason."

Stark and Lannister looked at each other in the eye, both serious, trying to read each other's most innermost thoughts.

Finally, the Lannister spoke. Maybe he had seen something in Heddara's eyes that prompted him to do so. Maybe it was because she had asked why, when everyone else had simply taken it for granted as an act of war. Or started calling him Kingslayer for breaking his vows and killing his king.

Whatever the reason, speak he did, and the tale he wove was both heartbreaking and terrible. The struggle between his vows and the person he had sworn them too. The mistreatment of the Queen. His disagreements with his sworn brothers. Being used as a hostage. Being ordered to kill his own father. The wildfire.

When the tale was over his voice was hoarse and his eyes glazed over from the memories.

Heddara nodded, seemingly satisfied with the explanation, before rising from her seat. "You will come to the throne room at noon today, where I will announce your punishment for breaking your vows."

They left the Lannister with a bowed head, and angry eyes.

* * *

"As the one who currently controls this city, and therefore the Iron Throne, I, Heddara Stark, Lady Paramount of the North, order you, Ser Jaime Lannister, to shed your white cloak. Let it be known that while Jaime Lannister broke his vows to protect his King, he saved the people of King's Landing from certain death by wildfire. Since your service to house Targaryen is now over, I gift you with the power of choosing your own destiny. If you decide to continue serving in the Kingsguard, you must be accepted by a new King and renew your vows." The Stark girl said finally, after recounting the happenings that had led to the death of Aerys Targaryen. "More, I now declare all the members of the current Kingsguard to be stripped of their cloaks and ranks. Let only the men who truly wish to serve their King be allowed to remain in such a pure and honorable order."

Tywin Lannister barely managed to contain his glee as his son, and once again heir, removed his cloak and passed it to Lord Bolton.

Something good had come from losing control of the sack of King's Landing after all. If it had been him in control of the city, he would have never been able to release his own son from his vows. But now with the honorable Stark doing it for him, no one could say a thing.

* * *

 **A/N: Next time on... The Princess of Winter.**

 **Robert Baratheon arrives, and his comments make many people uncomfortable.**

 **Will Heddara follow him and bend the knee? Or will she decide to follow a different path?**

 **Stay tuned!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite.**

 **Special thanks to last chapter's reviewers! I got so many reviews that to name you all would be difficult, but know that i love you all! I hope you all like this chapter and that you review again with your thought on it!**

* * *

Chapter Ten (Age 20)

X

"Dara, Baratheon is only a few hours away." Rohar told her, coming to stand beside her, as they observed the city from atop the gate towers.

Heddara and all the Northern Lords had decided that some of them would sleep in the fortress to help keep control of the city, and the rest would camp with the bulk of northern host outside the city gates. She had ordered the Lannisters to do the same, which after some grumbles they had complied to.

Staying in the giant keep made her restless, and she could only sleep because of Storm's presence. She was anxious to leave this nest of spiders behind.

"Have the scouts we sent to the Stormlands and Dorne sent word yet? And the wildfire in the city, has it all been found and destroyed?" She asked, intertwining her arm with her betrothed's, and letting him escort her back towards the keep.

He smiled down at her briefly, before his face turned serious as he considered her question. "Lord Karstark and Lord Kevan Lannister supervised the Pyromancers as they destroyed the wildfire." He stated, approaching the most sensitive topic first. No one wanted the wildfire around while they were in the city, and since transporting it was extremely dangerous, the safest option was to see it destroyed by its own creators. "The Tyrels have not broken the siege of Storms End. It will probably be necessary for a show of force to be made before that idiot Mace Tyrel decides to go back to his overgrown garden. As to Dorne, some scouts have sent word of possible kingsguard presence in the area between Vultures Roost and Kingsgrave. The tower of Joy is a very likely location."

She nodded, considering her next options. "Send word to camp. I want them ready to leave by first light tomorrow, but with arms ready by the time Baratheon reaches us" She narrowed her eyes. "I know not yet what may happen, but our meeting with Baratheon will show us what that will be."

She looked out towards the North, were the dust cloud caused by the approaching soldiers could be seen.

"Let us call half of our Lords inside the Keep. Give command of the camped men to Lord Karstark and bring more men into the city. Your brother will be in charge of those, together with Lord Flint."

Rohar nodded, kissing her in the hand before walking off to send her messages of with northern squires.

Heddara looked out towards the North again.

It would soon be time to face the most important choices of her life.

* * *

Heddara's face was stone cold as Robert Baratheon spit down on the bodies of the royal children and called them dragon spawn.

Tywin Lannister was probably rejoicing inside at the prospect of being in Baratheon's favor, but she just wanted to strangle both men.

Baratheon strode up to the dais, where the throne sat, without opposition, and sat down on the ugly, pointy thing.

"I must ask your majesty to order Lady Stark to release my men, and punish her for killing one of my best knights" Tywin asked, bowing shallowly.

Baratheon's eyes turned to her, followed by the eyes of all the other Lords present.

"I found Ser Gregor Clegane violating the dead body of Princess Elia Martel. I believe that the penalty for murders and rappers is death, regardless of their station." She announced flatly. "As for the other two, I have them as prisoners in the Northern Camp. I propose that they be tried for crimes of war. If you feel especially merciful then I suppose they could be allowed to take the Black."

The Lords of the Westerlands whispered furiously, but many Lords from the Vale and the Riverlands seemed to be in agreement with the Northern Lords.

"That is ridiculous! Clegane was following rightful orders! So were the other men!" Baratheon said, his face contorting into a sneer. "You will return the prisoners. An agreement on a recompense to be paid to Lord Tywin will be settled later." He narrowed his eyes at her. "I hear you also decided to abolish the kingsguard. I know not what authority you had to make such a proclamation, but I consider it void!"

Heddara crossed her arms and took a step forward to be closer to the would be King. Behind her, the northern contingent tensed, prepared for a fight.

"I used the right of conquest to pass those orders, and so they are valid until a new crowned King revokes them, which may I remind you, you are not." She appeared unaffected, brushing invisible dust from her doublet.

"Is that true?" Robert asked, turning to Jon Arryn. At the men's nod, he turned back to her, waving her away like a fly.

"Fine, have it your way. The Kingsguard who wish to keep their cloaks will have to repeat their vows on the day of my crowning. Those who wish to quietly retire may do so, I care not what they do."

He looked back towards the other Lords, making an enthusiastic speech about all the victories that one could achieve when they worked for it, and what their next steps should be.

"Lord Tywin will join his army with half of Lord Tully's forces and get control of the Crownlands. Lord Mallister will command the rest of the Riverlands host and lead them back home to regain control of the loyalists in the area." Jon Arryn cited from his place to the right of the throne. "Lady Stark will take the northern host and ride for the Reach, to assure their alliance."

The Lords in question murmured their accent, but were interrupted by Heddara, who waved to catch Lord Arryn's attention.

"I must tell you that such thing will not be possible, Lord Arryn." The hall fell silent. Baratheon and Arryn turned to look at her once more, their faces uncomprehending.

"You have something else to do, Lady Stark?" Baratheon asked condescendingly. It was like he had forgotten her role during this war, and her abilities as a warrior, now that he sat on the spiky throne.

"Yes, in fact I do." She stated simply. "Like searching for my sister for example. Or have you forgotten about her?"

Baratheon's face turned into a furious scowl. "Of course, I haven't forgotten! But we don't know where she could be and we need to secure the realm"

She snorted, looking condescendingly at the man.

"I have heard of a possible location near Dorne. I will be leading my men in that direction." She casually rested her hand at her waist, at the same time keeping her hand closer to her sword. "Afterwards the Northern Host will be returning home. Our objective in this war will have been accomplished."

The men present in the great hall murmured at her announcement. She could see Lord Tywin narrow his eyes in consideration, and Lewyn Martel and Barristan Selmy look at her in surprise.

"You have come all this way only to desert now? When the realm most needs you?" Lord Arryn asked incredulous. He didn't seem to understand why she would not want to support Baratheon's claim on the throne.

"I did not bring my countrymen south just at the end of winter for power, or glory. It was certainly not for a throne." She sneered at the men on the dais, taking another step forward. Around her the Lords tensed, sensing a confrontation. "We came down for justice. We came down to show that mad man that titled himself a King that he would pay for his crimes against the biggest kingdom in Westeros. The North Remembers. And that means that no slight goes unpunished"

Behind her, the Northern Lords nodded.

"So, you will simply leave now that you have what you want, with no regards to your Kings orders?" Baratheon spited out. "That is treason to your King!"

Heddara chuckled. "Haven't you noticed Lord Baratheon?" She asked, not being able to resist adding a slightly mocking tone to her voice. "My King is dead. And his immediate heirs are no longer here to wear the crown, a fact that you rejoiced immensely just a few minutes ago. I have no doubt you will be seeing to it that the last heir will soon follow in his brother and nephew's fate."

Baratheon rose from the throne, his face contorted into a furious scowl. "I am the King!"

"As much as you wish to style yourself in such a way, and dig around for common ancestors that would technically give you the rights, I care not for such things." She shrugged, appearing to not find any importance in the matter. "After thousands of years of independence, Torrhen Stark knelt to Aegon Targaryen because he had Dragons, and he did not wish to waste the lives of his people." She opened up her arms, gesturing at the skeletons around them. "The Dragons, and the dynasty built around them is now gone. There are no more reasons for the North the be under any banner but its own. Three centuries do not erase more than three thousand years of history and tradition."

Baratheon came down the stairs so fast she worried he might fall down. "You are talking independence! That is treason!" He spat at her, coming closer with each word. Behind her, her supporters flanked her, prepared to intervene if needed.

"There is no treason when no oaths have been given." She said simply.

She could see the moment both Baratheon and Arryn realized the meaning of her words. Of all the Lords present, only the northern ones had not sworn fealty to Robert Baratheon as King of the Seven Kingdoms. Even Lord Tywin had bowed down before Robert the minute the younger man had sat himself on the throne.

"There is no reason for this, Lady Stark. The realm will finally see peace, now that the Targaryen's are gone" Jon Arryn stated, in a conciliatory tone. "There are no advantages for the North in separating themselves from the rest of the realm."

She snorted. What did this man know of the North. She would bet that he called them Barbarians in his mind.

"And yet, the only reason your ward seats himself on that throne is because he is a descendent from that same family." She shook her head. "The North and south of Westeros are too different, Lord Arryn. Our way of dress is different, our songs are different, we pray to different gods and have different idols. There is nothing else bringing us together. Not to mention that the iron throne rule as brought nothing but death and war to the north, where before there had been centuries of relative peace. No, I believe we will all be quite happier with this separation."

Baratheon's face was still becoming redder by the minute. The thought of losing one of his kingdoms, the biggest even, was not going well.

"I will hunt you down if you do this. There will be war!" He screamed at her. The only reason he didn't advance was probably because Lord Arryn had put a warning hand on his shoulder.

She heard Lord Umber chuckle loudly behind her, and had to make an effort not to do so herself.

"Tell me, Lord Baratheon, whose army truly won this war? Whose men control this city just as we speak?" She asked, looking at the two men before her. Lord Arryn gulped, immediately understanding the implications. "You try anything against me or mine and you won't be leaving this city."

Baratheon gritted his teeth. "And your men, what do they think of your treason?"

Maege sneered at the man. "Bear Island knows no King, but the King in the North, whose name is STARK!"

Umber roared. "STARK! STARK! STARK!" The northern Lords present echoed his chant, only falling silent at Heddara's gesture.

"This is what will happen Lord Baratheon." She stated, taking the few steps necessary to reach him. "I will lead my army to the location where I believe my sister is being kept. As a gesture of good faith I will them lead my men to lift the siege of Storms End, something that you have apparently forgotten has been happening." She smile benignly, while Baratheon's face turned purple from rage. She heard some Lords behind her murmur. It looked like this blunder would not easily be swept aside. After all, it did not look good if the future King forgot that his own family seat and his two brothers were under siege, and needed his newly declared enemy to save them. "And then I will make my way North, without any problems from you, or any southern Lord. Or I will be forced to answer with force."

"And why would we let you do that?" Arryn asked, trying to appear calm.

"Because if you do not give me your word that the North will be left alone, then I will not let you sit there." She pointed at the throne. "A throne, for a Kingdom, Lord Arryn."

Baratheon looked at Arryn, who nodded at him, looking pained.

"What about Lyanna?" The younger man asked.

Heddara sighed. "If I find her, and she lives, I will let her decide what she wishes to do. She is undoubtedly traumatized after such a long captivity, and might wish for the comfort of family"

Heddara could not be certain of such a thing, but she doubted her sister would actually want to marry the man in front of her. Not that he needed to know that.

"Fine, you have my word." The man gritted finally.

Heddara's smile was brilliant. "In writing, if you please. We must also agree on civilized trading treaties between our two Kingdoms, of course."

* * *

"Can we do anything about this?" Robert thundered, furious, to his newly formed, if incomplete, small council.

It was composed by Jon Arryn, as his Hand, and both Varys and Maester Pycelle, who had kept their positions. Barristan Selmy had retaken his vows and stood in the room representing the kingsguard, but Lewyn Martel had left with the Northern Army towards the south. Jaime Lannister had been hovering around his father, undecided.

Jon shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. This is obviously a well-organized plan. I bet they have already sent out ravens telling of this."

"My little birds tell me that several ravens were seen flying out from the Northern camp before the host departed." Varys said, nodding.

Tywin frowned. "If I may say, your Highness, was it prudent to let Lewyn Martell leave with the Northern host?"

Robert sneered, his face turning into an ugly scowl. "He might be able to get them closer to where Lyanna is being held. And should he turn against them..." He smirked. "Well, Lyanna would be much more thankful to me for rescuing her in person, of course!" His eyes glazed over, as he imagined his beloved running into his arms. He shook his head. "There must be something we can do, though! That woman wrangled a treaty from us! A treaty Jon! Not only do we have to send people to their fucking frozen wall, we also must keep all our soldiers down of the Neck! And the trading taxes! We can't even starve them, or they will withhold wood and make us freeze next winter!"

His foster father shook his head, to the new King's consternation.

"All we can do now is consolidate your rule over the other kingdoms, especially Dorne. We can't let them declare independence as well." Jon sighed, rubbing his tired face with his hand. "Those Northerners probably foresaw this. We can't waste resources fighting them when both Dorne and the Reach are so unstable, or we risk, not only dishonor, but a war on two fronts as well."

Robert slammed his fist against the table. "Damn Heddara Stark to the seven Hells!"

* * *

 **Next time on... The Princess of Winter!**

 **Heddara makes her way to the Tower of Joy! Will she find Lya? Will she have to fight her way in to get to her?**

 **Follow this story to find out! ;)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to all who reviewed, followed or made this story a favorite.**

 **Special thanks to last chapter's reviewers! It makes my day when I see that someone reviewed! Make sure to give me your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **Please check out the Authors Note at the end of the chapter ;)**

* * *

Chapter Eleven (age 20)

XI

The horses' hooves beating the ground was the only sound she could hear, as they galloped towards the tower in the distance.

The Northern army had headed towards Storms End, led by Maege and Roose who would pass as Heddara and Rohar to anyone they encountered on the way. To make the ruse even more believable, Heddara had left Storm with Maege – after much begging and blackmailing through treats – who the direwolf respected enough to protect and follow to a certain degree.

Meanwhile, Heddara had taken her betrothed, Howland Reed, Martyn Cassel, Ethan Glover, Theo Wull and William Dustin on a fast-passed travel towards Dorne, and her sister's last known location. Hopefully she would be back to lead the breaking of the siege herself, even if she had to entrust her sister to her companions.

She looked to her left, where another man stood. Lewyn Martel looked decidedly uncomfortable in his brown wool cloak, after a lifetime in white. She had managed to release him from captivity at the hands of the Vale Lords, stating that he could intervene with his former brothers, so they wouldn't be opposed in Lyanna coming with her. It had cost her the two Lannister men in her possession for the murders of the royal children, but in war everything came at a price.

The Martel Prince had appeared impressed with her response to Roberts ascension to the Iron Throne, and had been visibly thankful for his release from his vows. Heddara could understand that. No sane man would wish to be bound to someone who rejoiced in the murder of his family members.

At the entrance to the Princess Pass that morning, she had brought them to a halt so they could rest their horses and give them water, and they had discussed what kind of opposition they could expect at the tower. The Kingsguard was composed by seven members, with the death of Jonothor Darry, and the "capture" of Barristan Selmy, Jaime Lannister and Lewyn Martel, three of them were still unaccounted for, and should be expected to be at the tower of Joy.

As the Tower came into focus, the three white figures standing guard in front of it proved them right.

* * *

"What are you doing with the usurper's dog Lewyn. Have you renounced your vows? Against your own niece?" Ser Gerold Hightower spit out, as soon as they came into speaking distance.

"Many things have happened since we last spoke, Lord Commander." Lewyn said, dismounting. He kept his hands at his sides, making no move to draw his sword. "King Aerys and Rhaegar are both dead. We have been released from our vows. The Targaryen Kingsgard is no more. I decided to come south instead of serving the Baratheon King."

The cloaked men narrowed their eyes at him.

"And you brought the enemy with you? Do you take us for fools?"

Heddara decided to use that moment to take a step forward. "I do not come with a wish to fight. Nor I am the 'usurper's dog'. The North has declared independence." She stated calmly. "I come to take my sister home."

Arthur Dayne put a hand on his sword. "We cannot allow you to do that. We are sworn to protect her."

Heddara frowned at that answer, and she was not the only one. Beside her Lewyn Martel also looked in confusion at his once sworn brother.

"Why would she need protection from me? I am her sister and would never hurt her."

She thought she might get through Ser Arthur, but Gerold Hightower shook his head. "You say that now, but one can never know what you will do in the future. We have our orders."

Heddara felt her temper flare. "And what orders are those? You are to protect my sister in this tower or to keep her prisoner here? Is she allowed to leave? What about visitors? Does she have a maid? Do you have pages? Is she eating well or have you been feeding her your field rations? When was the last time she took a bath, uh?" She sneered at the three white knights in front of her, who looked startled as if they had never considered it before. "Your Prince is dead and will never be back to retake his orders. Will you be here, until your very death, keeping Lyanna imprisoned in this tower for a man who is no longer in this world?"

Lewyn Martel shook his head. "Please, brothers. This is senseless."

Gerold Hightower seamed intent to fight, instead of going against his orders, but Arthur Dayne seemed to be breaking.

"I will give my word that neither I, nor my men, will bring harm to Lyanna or anyone else residing at the tower." Heddara said, raising her fist to her heart. "Keeping us out here is pointless."

* * *

In the end, it took both Arthur Dayne and Oswell Went to convince Ser Gerold to let Heddara and one other to come into the tower, as long as they did so unharmed.

The sight that greeted them was not at all auspicious.

"Hed... You came!" Her sister sobbed, falling into her arms.

Not expecting the sudden move, Heddara gently slid down the floor until they were sitting.

Looking over her shoulder at Rohar, she could see his surprised face, and wondered if she looked as much as a fish out of water as he did.

* * *

The next days passed in a blur.

She remembered having a furious shouting match with the Kingsguard about their treatment of her pregnant sister, her obvious lack of weight, and the lack of a midwife when she was so obviously almost giving birth.

She remembered sending ser William out to fetch a midwife and a wet nurse from the closest town.

She remembered holding her sister as she sobbed about their father and brother's death and asked her for forgiveness for all the trouble she caused. How she spoke of the Prince and how she was afraid that the man had only wanted her for a child she could give him. How he had been obsessed.

She remembered being the one to ask for forgiveness from her sister, for not realizing how much she truly despised her betrothal, and not doing more to have it revoked.

She remembered Lya's water breaking before the midwife arrived, and doing the best she could to help.

She remembered the blood.

She remembered the midwife finally coming and taking charge, and her relief at the woman's presence.

She remembered the blood, so much blood.

And then, she only remembered holding her nephew and promising to keep him safe, as her sister's eyes closed in exhaustion.

They would never open again.

* * *

The Kingsguard wanted to take her nephew away to Dragonstone.

She refused. He would be safer in the North, were she could disguise him as her older brother's bastard if needed.

They wanted to come along with her.

She refused once more. Having three kingsguard members trailing after a bastard boy would certainly raise questions they didn't want at the moment.

They argued that he was the crown prince. She snarled back that the only crown she would give him to wear was the crown of winter if she or Benjen ever were to die without children.

In the end, Ser Gerold decided to make his way to Dragonstone, and so did Ser Oswell.

Lewyn Martel would make his way to Sunspear with Heddara's gift to Prince Doran: Gregor Clegane's head, the names of the two men who killed his niece and nephew, and an offer of friendship.

Arthur Dayne decided to head to Starfall, and convinced Heddara to send a few men with him, as well as Lyanna's body and her nephew. There they would embalm Lyanna, and command a ship to take them directly to the North.

Since Heddara needed to take back control of her army before Baratheon found out that she was elsewhere, she sent Rohar, Howland, and Martyn Cassel south with the famed warrior, with promises of safe travels.

* * *

When Rohar finally saw shore, he let out a sigh of relief. Finally, it would be over.

Dealing with the Dornish had been tiring, but thankfully with Ser Arthur's presence, manageable. Finding out his sister Ashara had had a stillborn daughter and then proceeded to throw herself out of her window had been a crushing blow to the man, but he had eventually surpassed it.

Rohar had immediately jumped on the chance of having another layer of protection for his soon to be nephew. The Daynes had not been happy with him for trying to use their fallen – quite literally! – sister, but eventually agreed that if asked, they would pretend that the newly named Jon was Ashara's son from Brandon, and that that was the reason why Arthur was so invested in providing him with a boat and an escort North. The ruse wouldn't last long. Too many servants already knew that Ashara's babe was dead, and that Rohar had ridden _in_ with another one. It would only take one person for the rumors to start flying, but that would take some time. They only needed to get to the North safely, and then it would be easier to take care of the child and assure his survival.

It was better if the rumors did start, anyway. Brandon having a son could create problems in the succession. It only took a disgruntled Lord to start campaigning for Jon as the oldest son of Lord Rickard's oldest son, and then his and Heddara's children could be put aside. If he was known as Lyanna's child, then that problem wouldn't exist, since Heddara was the oldest daughter.

In the end, they had all gotten on the boat that Lord Dayne had provided, after sending a raven to Winterfell with only the cover story, in case the bird was captured.

As the ship's captain shouted orders to lower the anchor, Rohar crossed another day on his mental countdown until he saw Heddara again.

* * *

After making his way from Deapwood Motte to Winterfell, bringing Benjen up to speed on the happenings in the south, and making sure Jon had all the care and security possible in this world, Rohar had found himself unable to sit still while he waited for Heddara to reach the North.

Benjen had received a raven from Heddara, sent from the newly liberated Storms End, announcing her success, and her departure from the keep, at around the same time he had left Starfall by boat, maybe a few days after.

The travel by boat would have been much faster than the slow travel by land, without even counting the army march, but she could still be up to a whole month away!

With his mind made up, he said goodbye to his soon to be goodbrother and joined Howland Reed and a few Stark soldiers on their way to the neck and Moat Cailin, hopping to meet Heddara before she reached it.

* * *

They met again near Greywatter Watch. Or at least he believed they were close to the wandering castle's current position. One could never know with the cragnomen.

As soon as they were in relative privacy he pulled her in for a kiss. He had missed her during the month they had been apart, and never again wanted to repeat this separation.

"You better have your cloak ready, because as soon as we get to Winterfell, I'm making you my wife" He said, when they finally separated.

She smirked up at him, raising one eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be the one to shed your maiden cloak, since you're the one coming into my family?"

He laughed so much he almost fell on top of Storm.

* * *

 **A/N: Please read!**

 **This is the last full chapter of this story. There will be one more chapter which will be an Epilogue + Annex, where I will give you a glimpse of the sequel and will give some information about this AU that suddenly came to life.**

 **If you have any questions you would like answered in the Annex, please leave a review or send me a PM.**


	12. Chapter 12 - Epilogue & Annex

**Super big thanks to all those who Reviewed and Followed this story, or made it a Favorite!**

 **A big shout out to the "Shadiversity" on YouTube, where I learned a lot about medieval weapons and fighting styles, and Game of thrones castle inconsistencies (they will be corrected in the future! ;)**

 **Please check out the Annex and the Authors Note at the bottom for more information about the Sequel!**

* * *

Chapter Twelve - Epilogue (Age 20-25) – Next Time On... The Queen of Winter

XII

"Do you take this man?" Benjen asked solemnly.

"I take this man" She answered, smiling.

"Do you take this woman?"

"I take this woman"

And they knelt by the heart tree to pray. Afterwards, Rohar took of his plain, brown cloak, and Heddara draped her Stark cloak around her consort.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Rohar asked his wife, coming up behind her desk and hugging her from behind.

"I'm sending a congratulatory letter to King Baratheon for his marriage to Cersei Lannister. And on his brother's marriage to Catelyn Tully." She put down her quill and looked at her planner. "And I still have a letter to write to Dorne about the trade agreements."

He caressed her slightly swollen belly. "Came to bed. Baratheon probably won't even read it." He said, pressing his lips to her neck.

She groaned. "You know I can't do that. Just let me finish it quickly."

He sighed theatrically. "If I must."

* * *

"Come, Jon, Rodrick. It's time to meet your sister." Heddara called her nephew and son.

The two small boys eagerly climbed the bed.

"She's tiny" Rodrick whispered wide eyed.

"And pink" Jon said with a frown, raising a finger to gently touch her forehead.

Rohar chuckled, sitting himself beside his wife and wrapping an arm around her. "You were both just like that when you were tykes!"

"No way!" Came disbelieving protests.

As Heddara gently guided and then supported the boy's arms as they held their sister/cousin, Rohar smiled and thanked the gods for giving him such a family.

* * *

"Prince Oberyn, welcome to the North once more. I hope you enjoy the hospitality of Winterfell" Heddara said, spreading her arms in greeting.

"Ah, my dear Queen Heddara, the warm halls of your home are always a blessing, after the cold winds of your Kingdom" His smile was the height of politeness, though his eyes betrayed his mischievousness.

"And where is that handsome man you call your husband? My heart was never has broken has when he so callously refused my offers of love."

Heddara contained herself to avoid rolling her eyes at the foreign prince.

"I believe your heart will have to handle a new crushing blow. I believe my husband has not changed his mind about your offer"

The Prince put his hand over his heart and gave her a heartbroken face that she dismissed with the barest of smiles.

It was always good to be considered as a flirting target by the Dornish Viper. It meant that he liked you.

* * *

"Mamma?" Jon's voice came from the entrance to their room.

"Yes darling, come here" She said, drowsily.

"I had a bad dream." The boy said, as he came closer to the edge of the bed.

Beside her, Rohar shifted, raising his arm to rub Jon's hair. "Get in here tyke."

Her nephew gladly climbed over her form to settle between them under the furs.

"What was it about this time?" Rohar asked, yawning and closing his eyes.

"It was a fat man leaving a baby in the snow. And then there was a scary man with a white and blue face, like Old Nan's frozen stuff in the kitchen, and blue eyes, and horns on his head. He came and picked up the baby and then the baby also became white and blue, and his eyes also turned blue. Then the white man looked up. He was smiling and his teeth were big. Not bigger than Storms, but big. He was scary" Jon sniffed and Heddara hugged him.

"Don't worry. We will never let any scary men hurt you." She said, snuggling the boy.

Over his head she exchanged a glance with Rohar. Maybe they should send some letters north. Just in case.

* * *

 **Annex**

 **The original idea.**

First of all, I absolutely love Fem!male lead stories. Why? Because usually those stories involve an awesome, strong woman as the lead character! I love stories with strong, independent, sometimes warrior, women. And let's face it, most stories were the lead is a girl, there is always something lacking in this department...

I first came to this idea after reading somewhere Greatjon's speech about how Robb Stark should be King. He says something like: "It was the Dragons we married, and the Dragons are all dead". And I thought: 'Well, the real Dragons (the flying ones, not the mad humans with species dysphoria) have actually been dead for a looong time.'

And then it suddenly came to me: If Ned, one of the truly good characters in Game of Thrones, was a woman, what would she do when faced with the Rebellion? As a woman she wouldn't have been sent to the Vale, so she wouldn't be Robert's best friend...

Let's just say that I was imagining her speech in Chapter 10 even before I started plotting the actual story.

Most important though is this: What would Heddara being a woman change, and what would stay the same?

Please keep in mind that all the answers are given considering that the Game of Thrones is a medieval society, not a modern one.

(X)

 **Why make Heddara a Warg, and "A warg is born, not thought (on Heddara being thought in Bear Island).**

I always thought it strange that almost all, if not all, of the Stark children were wargs, but Ned wasn't. It is strange that it appeared in a whole generation. I decided that It would be fun to give the gift to my OC. This would make it more believable for her children to also have it.

I see warging more or less like being a magical person in Harry Potter, or being a parseltongue or a metamorphmagus. You are born with the gift, but you still have to train it to actually be able to do something with it. If you're left to fend for yourself, you would learn though trial and error, and after a long time, you would finally get somewhere.

Here I gave Heddara the benefit of fostering in a place where she could train in peace, and she could have the support of old scrolls and help from older, wiser people to guide her in her training.

(X)

 **Why marry Heddara to a Bolton?**

It took a long time to figure out who her romantic interest would be, until I realize a Bolton would be a good idea. The only problem was that I hated Roose. So, I created my own Bolton, who I could give the personality I wanted.

The Boltons are a very ambitious house. So, they would support Heddara in becoming Queen and in the process, become even more loyal to the Starks, for from then on, they would be half Bolton. They are also very powerful, and that power would help Heddara sustain her reign.

Why not marry her to a southerner? Because if she was going to become independent, she couldn't have a husband that not only came from the south, but followed a different religion. Let's face it, southern men believe the North is full of Barbarians. How would a King Consort that thought like that be received by the people and the Lords of the North? Even if the man respected the northern houses, he would always be seen with suspicion.

(X)

 **Why have the Rebellion happen, when Heddara knew Lyanna might not have been kidnaped? You could have avoided it!**

The Rebellion was going to be the tipping point in this story from the beginning. For the North to become independent, I needed a reason for them to rebel. Otherwise, everyone would be happy to maintain the status quo.

As I said before, even though most people put the starting of the rebellion solely on Lyanna's and Rhaegar's feet, I blame the mad King and Brandon Stark. Brandon for being a stupid idiot and going to the capital demanding Rhaegar to be punished, and Aerys for then killing Brandon _and_ Rickard! (and a few other Northern men) If he only killed Brandon, it might have been different. But he not only killed Rickard but sent a raven to Lord Arryn asking for Eddard and Robert's heads. That is when Arryn called his banners, and Eddard and Robert went home to call their banners too.

Here, even though Heddara knew about Lyanna, she could not stop Brandon from going to Kings Landing and starting the whole mess, since she was traveling to the Dreadfort at the time, and Brandon was in Riverrun. The only difference is that Aerys sent a letter to the North asking for Benjen to come to the capital to bend the knee. Which he obviously didn't.

(X)

 **Why have Elbert Arryn not go to Kingslanding with Brandon like he did in Cannon?**

I honestly just wanted to give Lysa a chance at happiness. She won't be featuring the sequel much (if at all) but this way she marries someone closer to her in age, and could learn to be happy with him.

(X)

 **Why not give Benjen the Moat? Why not marry him to Catelyn? (Why not just promise it and then not follow up on it?)**

If Heddara becomes Queen there are a few things necessary for her to keep her crown peacefully, and for her children to follow her as Kings and Queens. First one is to have no brothers left to pass her over as rightful ruler.

This is not the twenty first century. Can you tell me of any still existing Kingdom in our world that didn't follow male primogeniture inheritance before the turn of the century? If there is a boy, even if he is the youngest child, he will always inherit. The UK only changed their laws to absolute primogeniture (the actual first born, no matter the gender) in 2011! The same with Spain!

So, for Heddara and her children to be able to rule peacefully without Benjen dying, he had to swear to never have children (or at least legitimate ones), giving the Lords the knowledge that no one would be trying to take the Stark throne for themselves later, causing an unnecessary war. This means that he will never marry, and therefore him holding a holdfast he can't pass to anyone would be a waste. He also just wants to be an explorer, so it would be like a prison sentence to keep him still in one place for the rest of his life!

Why not promise to marry him to Catelyn Tully? Well, it is not good to make enemies by breaking promises, when you can easily avoid it.

(X)

 **Why not torture your enemies?**

I am not in any way a fan or supporter of torture. However, it would be stupid of me to believe that in medieval times (and even now), torture wasn't used as a means of punishment and extraction of information, during wars or otherwise.

During the dictatorships in the southern European Countries in the 20th century, there were a lot of political prisoners tortured for information in many ways (sleep torture being a favorite one for its 'cleanliness').

Heddara also understands that torture is sometimes a reality, but she doesn't like it. That doesn't mean that she won't use the threat of torture to try to get her prisoners to loosen their tongues tough.

(X)

 **Will Roose Bolton be a threat in the future?**

Not really, at least in the immediate future. He has already climbed higher than he expected, considering he is a second son, and he is brother to the King consort, even if Rohar renounced his name. He is in a very powerful position at the moment.

Ramsay Snow? Now that is another question.

(X)

 **Why isn't Heddara Queen of the Seven Kingdoms?**

Let me give you an example: Why is Belgium a country when half of it speaks French and the other half Dutch/German?

There are many reasons, but most of the original reasons for their formation are, of course political, but also religious.

Belgium was catholic, while Germany and the Netherlands was protestant. So, the non-French speaking part preferred to join the French speakers because their religion was the same.

(If there are any Belgians reading this and you want to correct me in anything I have said, please fell free to do so!)

I imagine Westeros as a lot of religious problems due to the North following the old faith and the south following the seven. Heddara has nothing in common with the South. There is no reason for her to even _want_ to rule it.

There is also no reason for the southern Lords to support her, because to most of them she is 1) a Woman; 2) a Northern barbarian; 3) a heathen. There is also the problem with the Faith of the Seven. They have a lot of power, and would not like it at all if she became Queen. They would cause problems and try to force her to convert.

It is just much more peaceful to get Northern independence. And less troublesome all around.

(X)

 **The Starks were Kings for 8 thousand years, not 3 thousand.**

I'm only counting after the unification of the North. I tried to figure out when that happened and ended up with somewhere 3 thousand years before Aegon decided to conquer Westeros, and I'm already discounting all the Bolton rebellions that only ended around 1 thousand years ago, when they finally bended the knee for good and agreed to stop flaying people. Mostly I considered that the Andal invasion was around 4 thousand years before cannon, and that 1 thousand years would be enough time for Theon "The hungry wolf" Stark's descendants to take control of the other Northern Kingdoms.

(X)

 **Did Rhaegar marry Lyanna? Does it even matter?**

Honestly, I don't really care whether or not Rhaegar divorced Elia, if he married Lyanna as a second wife, or if he didn't marry Lya at all.

Heddara has no intention of ever putting Jon on the Iron throne, so that point is mute.

(X)

 **Why did Lyanna have to die?**

Consider this: A woman is kept in a tower during her whole pregnancy, with only 3 soldier men as company.

She is not seen by a midwife or maester, she only eats small field portions.

This will make her too weak to survive a birth in a time where many women already died at childbirth, even with all the help and preparation possible.

Honestly Lya surviving would have been a miracle. There is nothing that Heddara could have done to influence it, even with her arriving faster to the tower and bringing the midwife in to help.

(X)

 **Why not claim Jon as Brandon's child forever? Why not claim him as Heddara's?**

Well, there is no way Heddara could have a mystery child wile at war, where everyone can see her fighting. Where would she hide her bump? She is wearing skin tight leather armor out of the battlefield and plate armor on it. It is simply not possible.

Claiming it as Brandon's child is feasible, if people don't count too much. The war lasted a bit more than 1 year, so it would be hard for Brandon to actually be the father. People would eventually start asking questions.

There is also the questions of succession. Who rules after Heddara? Supposedly, it would be her eldest son. But Brandon was older then Heddara, so if he has a son... Even a Bastard, people could still try to rally behind him or his sons. (There were a lot of civil wars in Europe where bastard sons fought for the right to rule, so I'm not making anything up! In my own country a King even killed of his son's mistress because he was worried she would try to put her children in front of his 'trueborn' grandson)

Now, that doesn't mean that it will happen. Jon loves is siblings too much to ever take their inheritance, but Rohar will never take that chance. He will love Jon, but the people have to know he is Lya's, because that way he would always come after Heddara's children in the line of succession.

(X)

 **What are the plans for "The Queen of Winter"**

It will start off from a little after the wedding and follow the North's path to a true independent and autonomous Kingdom. As part of the seven kingdoms, the North would have lost a bit of their autonomy and start depending on trade with the rest of Westeros. Heddara will try to get her country back to shape Economically.

Then we will go forward towards the Greyjoy Rebellion (there is no reason for that to not happen) and then continue on to the start of Cannon. I still don't know if I should stop there and then write a 3rd book starting from cannon and covering the events from cannon until the defeat of the ice zombies or if I will write everything together. We will see.

* * *

 **A/N: Please read!** **J**

 **Ideas about what should happen in the next book are welcome! Just write it in the reviews or PM me!**

 **At this moment I have the plot written down, but haven't started writing anything yet. I will probably only start writing in March, because right now I'm writing another story in another fandom. (It's good to have some variety!)**

 **Anyway, see it as an interval between real books, only much shorter! You expect the sequel by April/May, I guess? I will post a note on this story so you guys know.**


	13. Sequel

Sequel is up! Go check it out!


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